


Bright Lights

by sunalso



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Daisy will be Quake, Evil Corporations, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Happy Ending, Light Angst, New York, Robbie is still the Ghost Rider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2019-10-08 21:36:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 51,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17394140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunalso/pseuds/sunalso
Summary: AU. Daisy wanted to make it big in The Big Apple. That didn’t happen, and now she needs a helping hand while she looks for a new dream. Robbie Reyes is a mechanic, taking care of his brother and harboring a dark secret. When they collide on the streets of the city, both of their lives are shaken up.Beta'd by Gort





	1. It's Who You Know

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whistlingwindtree](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whistlingwindtree/gifts).



_A/N: *waves* This fic is_ Quakerider _(Daisy Johnson/Robbie Reyes) and will be told from their POVs, but the entire team makes an appearance in this verse. Robbie is still the Ghost Rider and Daisy will become Quake during the course of the fic. There_ 's _plenty of fluff and smut along with the plot, and it starts with a job and a_ meet cute _;-)_

 

****

If anyone broke into Daisy’s apartment, they’d be very disappointed.

She turned the key in the lock and pulled her knit hat on over her dyed-black hair. Her last ten…twenty…however many auditions had been a bust. She had five dollars to her name and needed a job, fast. Living in even the tiniest shoebox of a studio in Flushing, Queens, over a laundromat, was hella expensive.

If only the laundromat was hiring.

Daisy was proud that at least she wasn’t a cliché. She’d moved from one big city, Los Angeles, to another, then failed spectacularly at her dream of being on stage. No small-town girl floundering amid canyons of concrete, longing for the open sky, or whatever bullshit.

It still sucked. There’d been a few roles, but with it being January, Daisy’s last gig had ended, and she hadn’t found anything new. Time to find a job, preferably in walking distance.

The chilly morning passed quickly as she trudged from diner to used bookshop to pawn store, putting in applications. So much fun. So many places that didn’t need help but would keep her in mind.

Her cell rang just after noon. It was Trip. They’d been a thing for a while, right when she moved to the area, but it’d turned out they made better friends than lovers. He was a nurse practitioner working out of a tiny clinic in Queens and was probably calling to check up on her after she’d come to him last week. But it turned out she’d only sprained her wrist, not broken it.

“Hey, girl,” Trip said.

“Hi. The wrist is much better.”

“Good, good. Sounds like you’re outside. Why? It’s twenty degrees.”

Daisy smiled. Trip could be the biggest mother hen. “I’m looking for a job. I need actual money, not acting money.”

“Damn, but inevitable. May’s Café needs a barista. It’s on the corner down from the clinic.”

“Is that the one next to the auto shop?”

“You got it.”

Daisy sighed. Oh boy. Coffee.

“Don’t roll your eyes. It would be a paycheck. And I like May. She’s nice, in a scary way.”

“Fine. I guess it won’t hurt to apply. Any other reason you’re calling?”

“You nailed it with the wrist. And maybe you could come hang on Friday night?”

“Once I get a paycheck.”

“Girl, you—”

“Once I get a paycheck, Trip.”

There was a snort. “I got you. I know you hate owing anybody. I’ll see you soon, alright?”

Daisy said goodbye and stuck her phone in her jacket pocket. If she didn’t find work soon, she would be living out of her van again. Too bad there wasn’t a loving family to welcome her back with open arms, which would be another part of the small-town girl cliché. Daisy had grown up in the system, bouncing from foster family to foster family. She didn’t even know what it felt like to have a real home, let alone a family.

Not that she needed either.

Daisy crossed the street, avoided a car turning the wrong way on a one-way, and headed the few blocks over to where the coffee shop was situated just on the edge of Chinatown. It was a corner spot and looked neat and clean. There were a few customers in line, and more sitting at the scattered tables and chairs inside.

Daisy pushed through the door, setting off a chime. She stopped and took a deep breath. It smelled amazing, like coffee and rich tea, along with cinnamon and mint. It was soothing. She felt better from just having walked inside.

Pulling her hat off, she shoved it in her pocket and went to stand to one side of the counter, eyeing the selection of pastries on display. Her stomach was growling, but she didn’t want to spend any of her remaining money if possible. There was dry cereal with her name on it at home.

“Are you Daisy?” a woman asked, and Daisy shot up straight from where she was drooling over a blueberry muffin.

“What?”

The woman standing behind the counter, short with long dark hair and a severe expression, looked Daisy up and down. “You fit the description. I’m May, and I understand you’re looking for a job?”

Daisy was going to kill Trip. “Yeah, uh, yes, I am.”

“Let’s have a drink and a snack while we talk.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly, that is I can’t—”

“On the house. And don’t argue with me.”

Daisy closed her mouth and nodded.

May picked up a pair of tongs. “What do you want?”

“Just a cake-pop?” It was the cheapest thing in the display case.

The tongs clacked together. “I asked what you want.”

“Blueberry muffin.”

“Better.”

May set one on a plate, along with a croissant for herself. She said something to the tall man running the counter and gestured at Daisy to take a seat by the table.

“I understand you don’t live far away?” May asked as soon as Daisy’s butt touched the chair.

“It’s about a ten-minute walk.”

May nodded. “You ever work at a coffee shop before.”

“No.” Daisy had already learned better than to lie to May.

“Excellent. No bad habits to break. What’s your availability?”

“Anything, right now.” May tilted her head, and Daisy dropped her eyes, picking a piece of the muffin and eating it. The bite melted in her mouth. “Oh my god. That is heaven. Do you make these?”

For the first time, something close to a smile crossed May’s face. “Yes. It took a while to perfect them. I think the cinnamon ones are even better, but you have to be here early for those. I never bake a big batch, and they sell out quickly.”

“I’d be early enough if I was opening.” Daisy ate another bite. It was magic, buttery, goodness.

May pursed her lips. “You would. What part of your story do you want to tell me?”

“I don’t have much of one. I’m kind of boring.” She really was, nobody cared about how she was an orphan with a rough start. It wasn’t like she’d lived a fairytale or anything, and lots of people had similar hard luck stories. Her muffin was fast disappearing as she ate instead of talked.

The man working came over with two mugs of chai and set them down. He had shaggy dark blond hair and a scar on one side of his face. He probably had an interesting story.

May held her cup in both hands. “Daisy, this is Davis. He would be the one training you.”

“Hi.” She smiled at Davis, and he smiled back. “Nice to meet you.”

“Don’t let May scare you away.” Davis’ smile widened, and May frowned. “She could kick your ass from here to Jersey and back, but she’s actually a softy.”

May glared at him, but he only shrugged a shoulder before returning to the register. The teasing made Daisy feel much more at ease. It was what people who cared about each other did. She would love to be a part of something like that, though she’d have to work at the café for a long, long time before she’d be comfortable joking with May.

May sat back in her chair, sipping her drink.

Daisy picked hers up and tasted it. It was spicy and just hot enough. “Wow, that’s…nothing like Starbucks.”

May shook her head. “Good?”

“Amazing. Like, holy cow.” Daisy took another long drink. While she was wiping her mouth, the door chimed as a tall black man came in. He was dressed in oil-stained overalls and had a beanie on that read ‘Phil’s Shop’. His smile was wide and warm as he nodded at May.

“What’s cooking?” he asked her.

“Just interviewing a potential new employee. Daisy, this is Mack, he works next door. And Mack, this is Daisy.”

“Hey, nice to meet you. What makes you want to work for this one?” He gestured at May, who rolled her eyes.

Daisy laughed. “Well, it turns out I’m a terrible actress, but my bills still insist on being paid, and my friend Trip told me about the job.”

“If Trip recommended you, you’re already hired.” Mack patted her shoulder, and she smiled up at him. He was an easy person to like. “I’m glad you’re here. Davis and Joey keep the place going, but May needs more help.”

May sighed. “I do. And since apparently I get no say in this, welcome to May’s Café. The job is yours if you want it.”

Daisy thought she might cry. “Thank you.”

“Now, as your boss, I’m going to my office to put you on the schedule. Have Davis show you how to make Mack’s order while I do that.”

“Hours? Pay?” Daisy said, realizing she should know what she was getting herself into.  

May looked over her cup at Daisy. “Reasonable.”

“Oh.” She stood. “Wait, Mack never made an order.”

“He doesn’t have to.”

When nothing else was forthcoming, Daisy headed behind the counter, set her dirty dishes in the sink, and washed her hands.

Davis had set out seven cups. “Mack doesn’t need to place an order, he comes over every afternoon and picks up drinks for the garage and his wife and the girl that works for her. Elena, that’s Mack’s wife, owns the florist shop across the street. Piper is her employee.”

“Ah.” Daisy was entirely sure she would never remember everyone’s names.

“Phil Coulson owns the garage, he gets a white chocolate mocha, Mack and Robbie take their coffee black, Elena wants a dark roast with soy milk, and Piper needs a cappuccino.”

“Okay.”

Davis showed her the mark on the paper cup to fill to and had her get the two plain coffees while he made the mocha. She watched over his shoulder as he made the cappuccino. The dark roast was a deep, rich color, and she learned where in the fridge the soy milk was.

“What’s the two other cups for?” she asked.

“I’m just waiting for Mack’s help to show up. Should be any minute now.”

The bell rang, and a short, brown-haired woman bustled in. She looked up, and Daisy recognized her. “Dr. Simmons!”

“Daisy?” Dr. Simmons looked confused.      

“I work here now, for like the last ten minutes.”

“Oh, yes, Trip said something about that. It’s good to see you.”

Davis nudged Daisy’s arm. “You know Jemma?”

“Yeah, I’ve been to the clinic a couple of times. She’s nice.”

“We call her Mack’s help.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.” Davis picked up the two empty cups and filled them with hot water. “The regular today, Dr. Simmons?” he asked.

“Yes, that will do nicely.” Jemma smiled at Mack. “Can I help you carry your drinks over?”

“Sure, Jemma,” he replied, and she beamed.

“Every day, like clockwork,” Davis whispered to Daisy as he put tucked tea-bags next to the cups of hot water, along with several sugar packets.

Mack and Jemma paid and picked up their drinks, and after saying their goodbyes, left out the front door.

“Is it weird a doctor comes by to help a mechanic take drinks to his shop every afternoon?” Daisy asked. “Because shouldn’t someone be bringing her drinks? Otherwise, why go through all that school?”

Davis snorted. “I’m the wrong person to ask about school. I lasted through a year of college before I figured it wasn’t for me. I work here now.” He shrugged.

“I wanted to take computer science,” Daisy said quietly. “But no money, no family. So I work here now.”

“Seriously, it’s a good place. And to go back and answer your question, Jemma’s sweet on one of Phil’s mechanics. Though I think she might need to wear a sign to let the poor guy know.”

“What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Nah, I got a wife, and a baby on the way.” Davis' face became soft, and it made Daisy’s chest ache. She couldn’t even imagine someone looking like that when they were thinking about her. “You?”

“Happily single. I can barely take care of myself. I don’t need someone else to worry about.”

May leaned against the counter. “Now that I can understand.” She held out a paper towards Daisy. “Here’s your schedule for the next two weeks, starting tomorrow.” Daisy took the paper and checked it.

“Full time?” she gasped. “Three opens, two closes.”

“Reasonable?” May asked.

“Yes, thank you. I…I won’t lose my apartment.” She swiped at her eyes.

May’s face softened. “Be here early tomorrow to fill out the paperwork and to learn how to open. And get a drink to keep you warm on the way home.”

Daisy nodded, and May shook her hand before disappearing into the back of the store.

“What can I get you?” Davis asked.

“Mocha, please.”

“Coming right up.” He showed her the steps as he made it, and Daisy was certain she could follow them. It was more her speed that worried her. Mornings were probably the busiest time for the café, and she was going to thrown into the middle of it tomorrow. Davis handed her the drink. “I think you’ll fit right in. See you tomorrow, Daisy.”

She waved goodbye and after putting her hat back on she nearly bounced as she exited the shop.

A new year, a new job, and hopefully a new—

“Shit!” a man barked as she ran right into him. For a split second she was looking into a very handsome face and a pair of dark eyes, then her-just made coffee splashed over the front of her. Daisy gasped and shrugged off her jacket.

“Hot!” she yelled at the startled man.

“Yes!” he barked, then shook his head. “I mean, let me help you.”

He yanked on her shirt and got it over her head, then went for the front of her jeans. With the scalding lessened, Daisy became very aware she was standing in her black bra in the middle of the sidewalk while a strange man undressed her.

“Wait,” she said. “I can’t just—”

He looked up, then let go of her like she was on fire and held his hands up. “I was trying to help!”

“I know, but somewhere that’s not outside, in public?”

He had the same overalls on that Mack had been wearing, so she wasn’t surprised when he dragged her into the auto shop, through a bay, and into an office.

“Reyes, you want to tell me what’s going on?” a middle-aged man with thinning hair said as he stuck his head in the door. Daisy kicked off her boots.

“I knocked into her and spilled her coffee on her, and…I’m trying to help.”

“I’ll get Jemma,” the man said and withdrew as Daisy wiggled out of her jeans.

“Better?” Reyes asked, his eyes darting down her front and then raising to stare at the corner of the room.

“Less hot, thank you,” Daisy said. “I’m Daisy, by the way. I’m May’s new employee next door.”

“Robbie. Robbie Reyes. I work here.”

“That’s good. Would have been a ton weirder if you hadn’t.”

He smiled faintly.

Daisy patted his arm, and he lowered his eyes to her face. She couldn’t resist a little teasing. “And now that you’ve seen me mostly naked, I look forward to serving you coffee five days a week.”


	2. Burning Man

If things weren’t miserable enough for Robbie, now he’d helped strip the most incredible woman he’d ever seen down to her underwear after burning her. The irony wasn’t lost on him.  At least it’d been an accident. He’d needed a coffee refill and had been charging next door to May’s to get one and instead he’d now seen a stunning rack which was connected to someone who seemed determined to tempt him through her laughter and teasing into making an even bigger fool of himself.

Daisy was amazing, and he absolutely couldn’t ask her out right now. Or ever.

Robbie was continuing to stare determinedly anywhere but at her while Dr. Simmons did a quick exam.  

“I think you’ll survive,” Dr. Simmons said.  “Maybe just a first-degree burn, like a sunburn, on your belly. You can treat it with aloe if you want, but should be fine if you don’t.”

“Thank you.” Daisy sounded like she was shivering. “I’m sure all this cold air is helping.”

A clean oil rag smacked into Robbie’s face. “Hey,” Mack said from the door. “Don’t you have something you can lend her?”

Grateful for a reason to escape, Robbie nodded and headed to his locker. It sat on the far side of the garage, past the three bays that were filled with cars. He had a couple of spare outfits stuffed in there in case he was too grimy to go home in what he had on, and could lend Daisy one. Fitz was sitting on the bench next to the lockers, sipping his tea.

“Is Jemma done?” he asked, peering around Robbie.

“Not yet.”

Fitz slumped and made a face at his drink. Robbie ignored him as he pulled out a pair of drawstring sweatpants and a worn Guns-N-Roses T-shirt. Hopefully, Daisy’s jacket would be okay for her to wear home, because he didn’t have a spare.

“Tell Jemma I’ll wait right here,” Fitz said as Robbie walked back by.

“I don’t know where else she’d think you’d go,” Robbie replied. If those two didn’t start making out soon, Robbie would lock them in a closet together.

Back in the spare office, he handed the clothes to Daisy without risking a glance.

“Thank you,” she said, pulling the shirt on. “I’ll return them tomorrow.” Robbie finally let himself face her, only to find the shirt did an admirable job clinging to her curves.

“You can keep them. Looks better on you anyway.” It really did. Anything she wore probably looked sexy as hell on her.

Daisy bit her lip. “Okay, Reyes.”

“I’m going to finish my lunch break,” Jemma said, not giving him or Daisy time to say anything before she was beelining across the garage to where Fitz was sitting. Robbie had known she wouldn’t need instructions.

“I’ll tell her thanks later.” Daisy’s smile was wide. “And thank you, too, I probably would have been a lot more burned if you hadn’t helped me.”

“Or not at all if I’d been watching where I was going.” He felt terrible about hurting her, and the fire of the thing inside him licked along his nerves, reminding him what it could do.

“Phish, I’ll be fine, and I have a cool new shirt. Plus, I got to meet you. Bonus” Her eyes were bright.

Robbie didn’t want her to go, even if he knew he’d see her tomorrow. “Um, you new here?”

“This is my first January in Queens.”

“Well, be careful if you’re walking, you never know who you might bump into out there.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Robbie groaned. Had he really just said that?

Daisy laughed. “Dude, I’m from Los Angeles. The freaking cockroaches drive convertibles and name drop out there. Here they just scurry away when you turn the lights on.”

The human ones tried to when his lights came on.

He shook his head. “Yeah, still, be careful, chica. It’d make me feel better.”

“For you, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” She put her coat on and walked out the door. Robbie’s eyes followed her ass until it disappeared behind the BMW he was supposed to be doing an alignment on.

Sighing, Robbie went back to work. It didn’t matter how cute Daisy was. He couldn’t get involved with her. He couldn’t get involved with anyone. He’d traded his life for his brother’s, and Gabe had to come first.

Damn, he really had needed that extra cup of coffee, the late nights were getting to him.

“She’s pretty cute, huh?” Mack asked as he worked on an oil change in the next bay.

Robbie grimaced. “I’m going to tell Elena you said that.”

“And I’ll tell her it was because I was trying to find out if you were interested in Daisy.”

“I can’t be. Gabe’s going to be in college soon, and someone has to pay for it. Those books are not cheap.”

“Shite!” Fitz yelled from where he was doing whatever magic he did to a car’s electronic system to make the vehicle work better. Robbie and Mack shared a look. The guy was always a mess for a good twenty minutes after lunch, the brain injury that’d made him drop out of school acting up from all the nerves he got talking to Jemma.

Robbie had learned more British cuss words in the last few months than he’d ever imagined existed.

Turning back to the BMW, Robbie did his best to focus on nothing but the vehicle. Not Daisy and her smart mouth and sweet ass, or his brother and the medical bills that were piling up, not the cost of a college education, and especially not the long nights he spent haunting the streets, the Ghost Rider egging him on and seeking endless vengeance.

At least Robbie didn’t have to worry about his own health. The Rider would keep him whole for as long as Robbie was needed.

Though the jackass could maybe help out with the being tired part. Seriously.

Flames danced under his skin for a moment, and Robbie immediately felt much better. Now that was more like it.

Late in the afternoon, the Rider became more active as Robbie changed a timing belt on a Toyota. It poked at Robbie’s memories of the day’s events and circled around and around the ones of Daisy.

It was annoying.

 _Leave her alone_ , Robbie mentally snapped at the Rider. It didn’t always understand human conventions.  

 _You like her,_ was the delighted response.

_Yeah, and I can’t do anything about that, so quit._

The Rider retreated to a corner of Robbie’s mind, biding its time as it waited for nightfall.

****

At five o’clock, Robbie punched out, said goodbye to his boss and coworkers, and fired up his Ducati. The ride home wasn’t long, especially on the bike, which was why he took it instead of the big, black 1969 Dodge Charger that sat parked in front of the old brownstone he shared with his Uncle Eli and Brother Gabe. The car was his pride and joy, and he resented that it belonged to the Rider now too, though Robbie didn’t mind that no matter what happened, the car remained pristine and in perfect working order.

His uncle’s car wasn’t there, which didn’t surprise Robbie. Eli was rarely home. He worked for some big health or pharmaceutical company, doing hell knows what, and he’d often crash in his office instead of making the commute on weeknights.

Inside, Robbie unlaced his work boots and took off his overalls, chucking them into the washer on his way to the kitchen. Gabe was in his wheelchair at the kitchen table, homework spread out in front of him. He looked up and grinned at Robbie.

“Hey, how was work?” Gabe asked.

“It was there.”

Gabe tapped a pencil on his notebook as Robbie scrubbed the oil off his hands in the kitchen sink. As he dried them, the tapping stopped, but Gabe was still sneaking glances at him.

“How was your chemistry test today?” Robbie questioned while pulling ground beef out of the fridge. He was going to make burgers for dinner, but with a salad on the side, even though Gabe would grouse at him. The kid needed a few veggies, and he sure wasn’t getting them in the school cafeteria.

“Aced it.”

“I knew you would.”

“Thanks, hey, anything interesting happen at work today?”

“Anything interesting happen at school?”

“No. Except this stupid chem homework.” Gabe went back to it, and Robbie worked on dinner, ignoring how the Rider felt closer to the surface as the sunset.

Setting the burger and salad in front of Gabe, Robbie dumped hot sauce on his before joining his brother to eat.

Gabe took a bite, studying Robbie. “Something happened,” Gabe said.

“Eat your food.”

“Nah, Bro. Tell me.”

“No.”

“Damn, was it a girl? It’s a girl, isn’t it? Is she pretty? What’s her name?”

The Rider was doing its equivalent of an eye roll at Robbie as he sighed. “Okay, shut up. Her name’s Daisy, and she works at May’s now.”

“She talk to you or did you just make moon eyes at her?”

“We talked.”

Gabe set his burger down. “Like talked or _talked_.”

“Like I spilled coffee on her and had to help her clean up. And she borrowed some of my extra clothes at the shop.”

Gabe was grinning. “Oh man, are you going to go all weird when she gives them back and wear nothing else for a week?”

“No, because I’m not in high school, and I said she could keep them.” Now he was thinking about his shirt clinging to Daisy’s breasts. Not what he needed when his life was already complicated with Eli’s long hours, his job, the bills, and Gabe’s schooling and physical therapy. There were a lot of responsibilities that came before dating. And no one would want to get involved with him, not with the Rider demanding so much time and attention.

Robbie’s life had been a small price to pay for Gabe’s.

“Are you going to ask her out?”

“Eat.”

Gabe dropped his questions, for now. Robbie had no doubt they’d start up again tomorrow.

After dinner, they watched some TV before Gabe went to bed. Once Robbie was sure he was asleep, he donned his leather jacket and slipped out, standing on the sidewalk and letting his eyes dart left and right as the Rider raced through his veins, making his senses come alive.

Eventually, Robbie opened the Hellcharger’s door and got in, taking off towards the north.

There was evil there to burn.

****

The alarm blared far too early, and Robbie had to drag himself out of bed.

Gabe was already up and dressed, his bag on his knees. He took one look at Robbie and made a face. “Better scrub that scowl off in the shower or this Daisy’s going to run in the other direction. Actually, you know what, just scrub off your whole face.”

“Thanks. Have a good day at school. I’m making mom’s enchiladas for dinner, alright? Don’t eat the crap they pretend are those are real ones in the cafeteria.”

“Got it. Maybe try cologne for the stinky attitude?”

Robbie was glad to shut the door behind Gabe. The night had been long and rough. He’d taken down some chop shop, could remember the screams and the eyes of the men the Rider had judged.

There’d been pain, too. Someone had slashed Robbie across the back, the knife biting deep. The Rider had healed it immediately, along with his clothing. Good thing, because Robbie could not afford another jacket.

Robbie dumped hot water in the coffee maker, turned it on, and went to grab a shower while it brewed. Buying a cup from May’s did not sound like a great idea after the way he’d embarrassed himself yesterday.

As the warm water cascaded over him, Robbie tried not to think about Daisy in her bra and panties or the curves under both, but his body had other ideas. Since ignoring his erection wasn’t going to get rid of it, he ended up jerking off in the shower, imagining a girl with long, dark hair and flashing eyes, who was totally not Daisy.

The Rider laughed in his skull. _You like her_.

Okay, fine it was totally Daisy.

Fantasy-Daisy was very accommodating, water beading on her skin as her eyes, dark with desire, met his while she sucked on him. His hand was a poor substitute for what she’d be able to do with her mouth, but since he’d never know what the latter would feel like, the former would have to do.

He came with a grunt, immediately stowing his impractical thoughts, and returned to washing himself off.

After he finished and dressed for work, he remembered his coffee, only to find nothing but a pot of hot water waiting for him. He’d forgotten the actual grounds. That’s what he got for trying to make coffee before having coffee.

Sighing, he grabbed his keys and hustled to his bike. He would have to stop at May’s, and somehow not look once at the new barista.


	3. The First Cut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm slightly worried about this chapter because the QR fandom doesn't know me, but rest assured I am familiar with how being the Rider works and that it'll make more sense when we swing around back to Robbie's view.

“Hi!” Daisy said brightly to what had to be the eighteenth-million customer that morning. “How can I help you?”

“Double-shot, no whip, soy milk latte extra hot,” the women with glasses and a severe updo barked. Daisy typed in the order and glanced at Davis, who nodded that he’d heard.

“Five twenty-five,” Daisy said, and the woman paid with exact change.

“I’m glad to see May finally hired more help,” the woman sniffed as she moved to the side.

Daisy plastered on a smile and turned to help the next customer. It’d been a trial by fire all morning, but she hadn’t messed up—much—as she’d learned to work the register while Davis made the drinks. She had no clue how he’d been doing this alone because even with the two of them it was overwhelming.

The cinnamon muffins had been sold out in thirty minutes of the store opening at five-thirty am, but Davis had kept two under the counter for him and Daisy, and she was so looking forward to her break.

By eight-thirty the worst of the rush was over, though the tables were still full of customers reading the paper as they slowly drank their coffees and woke up.

“Good job,” Davis said, patting her back. “That was the first morning in a while no one left because the line was too long. I’m glad you’re here.”

Daisy laughed. “It was a war zone about seven.”

“Man, it is always like that. I’m surprised we don’t have to mop blood off the tiles with everyone trying to get to work. Now let me show you how to clean the espresso machines.”

They’d just gotten one of them apart when the door chimed. Daisy hurried to the register, glancing up to find she was looking at the top of Robbie’s head while he apparently admired his shoes. “Hi Robbie, do you want a black coffee?”

He grunted and nodded, still not looking at her.

Daisy rolled her eyes. “Coming right up. Buck twenty-five.”

She plucked a cup from the holder and filled it up from the coffee machine. The warmth was nice in her hand. She put a lid on it and set it down beside the five quarters Robbie had dropped on the counter.

He muttered something that was probably a thanks, keeping his eyes on anything that wasn’t her, and turned to walk towards the door.

Daisy frowned as she dumped the quarters in the till. There was something wrong, the bottom hem of his untucked white shirt was stained red. To her horror, she watched blood drip from it to the tiles.

“Robbie!” she yelled, jumping over the counter and running to him. “Wait, you’re bleeding!”

He turned in confusion towards her. Pulling off her apron, she yanked the coffee from his hands, setting it on the table of a surprised patron, and grabbed the neck of his jacket, pulling it down and off his arms. His back was soaked with bright red blood. She pushed the apron against where she thought the blood was coming from and held tight.

“This can’t be happening,” he mumbled.

“I’m sure that’s a perfectly valid way to handle this is some other reality,” Daisy snapped.

May appeared beside him. “What’s going on?” Robbie only shook his head, and she sighed. “I’m calling an ambulance.”

“No,” Robbie barked. “No, I don’t have insurance coverage for that.”

“Okay,” May said softly. “Daisy, walk him down to Dr. Simmons’ clinic and have her decide what needs to be done.”

“Yeah.” She was terrified. It looked like so much blood. She kept the apron as tight against him as she could and steered Robbie out of the door and down the street. Neither of them were dressed right for the chilly weather, but she ignored it as she pushed him towards the clinic.

“Can’t be happening,” Robbie said again. “I’m not supposed to…can’t be happening.” There was a pause. “Great time to be fucking silent.”

Daisy scoffed. Was he for real? “Well, sorry for not chatting while you’re bleeding to death.”

“Not you,” he said tersely.

Maybe the blood loss was making him crazy. Or maybe he was already crazy and damn, wouldn’t it be her luck to have a crush on a guy that got himself stabbed, probably because he’d been talking crap to people who weren’t there and someone knifed him out of self-preservation.

At the clinic with its unassuming door with the words “Right Direction Care” printed on it, Daisy barged in, making the few people waiting on plastic chairs in the front room gasp.

The person at the front looked up. “Can I help you?” he asked, face alarmed. His nametag said Lincoln, RN.

“Tell Jemma or Trip that Daisy’s here with Robbie and he’s bleeding.”

Lincoln disappeared into the back, and a moment later Trip rushed out. “Girl, what happened?”

“Don’t know.”

Robbie stumbled a little as Trip dragged him through the door into the area where the exam rooms were. With a pair of trauma shears, he cut up the back of Robbie’s t-shirt, exposing a gash between his shoulder blades. “Who did this to you?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Robbie said.

“Yeah, I bet it doesn’t. I should tell you that it’d be a good idea to go to an actual ER, even though it’s not that deep and most of the bleeding seems to have stopped.”

Robbie’s shoulders slumped. “That’s going to be a couple of hundred dollars at least. Can’t you sew it up? It’s only forty to be seen here.”

“Yeah,” Trip said. “I’ll do it.”

“Thanks,” Daisy said, and Robbie grunted.

“Lay on your stomach on the exam table,” Trip told Robbie. “And I’ll get some supplies.”

Robbie did as Trip asked and Daisy pulled up a chair so she was sitting by Robbie’s head.

Jemma returned with Trip, and while Trip got set up, she pulled on gloves and poked at Robbie’s back, making him grunt. “Just looking to make sure no bones were chipped,” she said. “And I think we’re good. It’s a nice, clean cut. Should heal without too much scarring.” Jemma stepped back and pulled off her gloves. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell us anything?”

“No.” Robbie turned his face towards the wall.

“Thank you, Dr. Simmons,” Daisy said since Robbie didn’t seem to be about to.

“I’ll just phone the garage and tell them he’ll be a bit late.” She pulled her phone out and dialed. “Hello, Fitz, can you hand your mobile to Phil for a minute?” Jemma walked out of the room.

Trip chuckled. “Of course she’d call his phone and not the business number. She’s only got one of those memorized.”

Robbie snorted.

Trip stood beside the exam bed with a tray of supplies on a small table. “I’m starting by cleaning the cut, might sting.”

Daisy looked at the wall along with Robbie, not wanting to know too much about the whole process.

“So,” she started. “Um, is your girlfriend going to be worried about this?” There was a muffled snort from Trip, and she shot him a look. He was grinning and had a bloody square of gauze in his hand. She quickly focused on the wall again.

“No girlfriend,” Robbie said. “It’s just my brother and me. We live at my uncle’s place, but he’s not home much.”

“Ah.”

“Gabe’s a good kid. He’ll be in college next year.”

“What’s he going to major in?” Trip asked.

“Science, I think.”

Daisy crossed her legs. “Does he know where he wants to go?”

“Someplace expensive.”

“That’s, like, every place.”

“Don’t I know it?” Robbie hissed in a breath as Trip did something. “That’s why I got a few years of nothing but working my ass off. He’s getting the education he deserves.”

Trip set something down that clicked against the table he was using. “How’s he doing?”

“Good.”  There was a smile in Robbie’s voice. “He’s a pro with his chair now.”

“Chair?” Daisy asked.

“There was an accident.” Trip said. “I don’t know how this idiot didn’t die.”

“Too stubborn,” Robbie replied. “But I wish…well, doesn’t matter now. Gabe’s in a wheelchair. He’s pretty much hell on wheels. Hates physical therapy, does it anyway.”

“Sounds like he’s a fighter.”

“He ain’t the only one.” Trip was clipping a pair of hemostats—hey, she remembered the name!— onto a curved needle as Lincoln walked into the room with Robbie’s coat in one hand and an open energy drink can in the other.

He handed the coat to Daisy. “Someone brought this by.” She took it and draped it over another chair. “Need anything?” Lincoln asked Trip.

“More two-o silk.”

Lincoln left, and Daisy wracked her brain, trying to think if she’d ever met him before. He seemed kind of forgettable, in the way that if you threw a rock in Iowa, you’d probably hit someone that looked just like him.

“I’m numbing things a little, so a stick and a burn, but you’re still going to feel some tugging.”

Robbie grimaced at Trips words. Daisy mostly didn’t want to think about it.

“Tell me something about yourself,” Robbie said to her.

“There you go.” Trip’s voice was amused. “This one can talk about herself for hours.”

“How do you know each other?”

Trip didn’t say anything, which left Daisy holding the bag. “Um, we dated for a while when I first moved to New York. Now we’re friends, and he makes sure I take care of myself once in a while.”

Robbie grunted.

“She’s not dating anyone either,” Trip added. “And you’re lucky I look after you, Dais. Who got you a job?”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “Trip.”

“And who fixed up your wrist?”

“Trip?”

“You hurt your wrist?” Robbie asked.

Trip chuckled. “Wait until you hear this.”

Robbie turned his head to look at her, the paper on the exam table crinkling as he adjusted.

“Okay, well, when I’m not trying to serve coffee, I’m an actress. Kind of.” 

The corner of Robbie’s mouth curled. “Kind of?”

“So far I’ve been girl in a dream number three, and over the holidays I was an angel that wordlessly helped several people down on their luck. I was billed as ‘the silent angel’.

“Did they meet you before they cast you?” Robbie’s grin was teasing.

Trip laughed. “This guy already has your number.”

“I am totally an angel,” Daisy said. “And you know it, Trip. Anyway, back to my wrist. Since my last play wrapped, I’ve been auditioning like crazy, until now when I’m serving coffee because I like living in an apartment.”

Robbie made a sympathetic noise. “No luck?”

“Hell no. None. I didn’t think I was that bad. I was desperate enough that I tried to teach myself to breakdance to land a gig as a backup dancer.”

“In a day,” Trip added. “She tried to learn in a day.”

Daisy sighed. “In a day. And I wasn’t terrible, exactly. I could do a lot of moves.”

Trip scoffed.

“Let see you do a flare.”

“Shit, I’m going to keep doing the stitch-Robbie’s-ass-back-together move.”

Robbie was making a face.

“Don’t mind him,” Daisy said with a wave. “So I was practicing doing coffee grinders and, uh…I smacked my leg into my wrist at full speed. I sat on the floor and cried for a while, then called Trip. He didn’t think it was broken which was such a relief because I could not forever be the girl that broke her own arm dancing.”

Robbie chuckled, but he sobered quickly. “Guess you didn’t get the part.”

“Didn’t even try. It was about then I realized I needed to focus less on being a star and more on actually working. I think I’m going to like May’s. The company is nice.”

Robbie started to say something but broke off into a grunt. He winced.

“Sorry,” Trip said, this is the worst of it.”

Robbi nodded and squeezed his eyes closed. He reached out with one of his hands and Daisy took it, threading her fingers with his. They were rough and calloused from working on engines, but the skin on the back of his hand was smooth as she slid her thumb over it.

Robbie was a good-looking guy. She’d have to be dead not to notice that. He had freckles, kissable lips, and the rest of him was pretty nice too. She would really like to get her hands on his ass.

Which was so not what she needed right now. Well, not a boyfriend, she might actually need Robbie’s ass.

His hand tightened on hers, but he didn’t make a sound.

Trip finished up the sutures and dressed the wound. “You need a pain killer or anything?” he asked as Robbie sat up and pulled the remnants of his shirt off.

“I’m going to go to work,” Robbie said. Daisy’s eyes were stuck on the pecs and abs she was being presented with. How was a girl supposed to breathe? “So, no. I’ll be fine. Thanks for the help, Daisy. Trip. I’ll square up with Lincoln on the way out.” He put his coat on and zipped it up, nodded at Daisy, and left.

Trip let out a whistle. “You have got it bad for that boy.”

“Ugh.” She slumped in her seat and let her head fall back. “I can’t. I don’t have time. And I shouldn’t date people that get themselves sliced up.”

“Normally, I’d be in agreement.” Trip was dumping the needles he’d used in a red sharps box. “But when a guy is acting cagy like that…I bet it’s family. Might have been his uncle going after him for money or something.”

Daisy tapped her foot. “He kept saying it shouldn’t be happening.”

Trip shrugged. “Probably just in shock. Though if you have it bad, he has it ten times worse. That boy likes you. Bat your eyes at him, and he’ll be eating out of your palm in no time.”

She held up her hand and frowned at it. “That’s a weird saying.”

“So not the point.”

Daisy dropped her hands into her lap. “Fine. I just don’t know what to do with this information.”

“Uh-huh.”

She stood. “I better get back to work. Espresso machines don’t clean themselves.”

“Hey, I’m about to call Mack. You and Jemma can take the afternoon coffee order to the garage, and she can moon over Fitz, and you can moon over Robbie.”

“That’s starting to sound like quite the moon-fest.”

“Don’t try me. I will tell Mack you like Robbie.”

She sighed and briefly hugged Trip. “Don’t you dare. And I’ll walk over with Jemma.”

“There you go. I’m telling you, eating out of your palm in no time.”

“Sure.”

On the way out she walked by…uh…what was his name? She glanced at his tag. Lincoln, that’s right, who had a different kind of energy drink sitting on the desk in front of him. Guess that explained why he didn’t get coffee. Too many cans of Monster Energy.

Daisy steeled herself and headed out into the winter air. It was worse without her apron, which had been a lost cause from all the blood. She’d tossed it in the biohazard trash hoping May wouldn’t be too pissed.

She hugged her arms around herself against the chill and wished there was someone else with her to fight the cold. Daisy knew just who she would pick to keep her warm.


	4. Up in Smoke

The wrench made a very satisfying clank as Robbie tossed it on the ground.

He was pissed. There was no way the cut on his back should have opened up. It’d been healed completely.

The Rider was up to something, that was the only explanation, and it wasn’t saying shit at the moment. Though Robbie was sure it was feeling smug. He was also sure the cut had sealed itself again, leaving him with a neat but useless row of stitches that itched.

He shut the hood of the car he’d been working on with a bang and took the keys to Phil.

“You feeling okay?” Coulson asked, face worried.

“Fine. Better if there’s some late work so I can make up the time. I already called Gabe, he’s okay taking care of himself and having a frozen pizza.” Robbie shifted as his stitches pulled. He was wearing an old, ripped t-shirt from the bottom of his locker under his overalls, and the holes on the back of it kept catching on the sutures.

Coulson nodded. “Yeah, yeah. You’d tell me if you were in something, right? Needed some help?”

“I would. Don’t worry about this.”

“Sure, I’ll go worry about the price of orange juice or something instead.” Coulson gave him a last look before going to deal with the customer whose car Robbie had just fixed.

Robbie went to wash his hands, returning to find the car gone and the door to the outside of the garage opening. Jemma and Daisy, both laughing, came in holding drink carriers.

“Hello, we’ve come bearing caffeine,” Jemma called.

There was a muffled oath, and a noise as Fitz dropped whatever he was doing to straighten up and smile goofily at Jemma. She blushed and smiled back.

Robbie sighed, then his eyes found Daisy.

She was walking towards him and grinning, two cups in her hands. Robbie could feel the smile stretching his lips, and…oh, fuck, he was just as bad as Fitz.

Robbie tried to scowl as the Rider broke his silence to laugh. Wonderful.

“One of those mine?” he asked Daisy.

“Both of them.” She handed him one and set the other down on a tool chest. Robbie took a long sip and sighed with pleasure at the mellow taste and feeling of warmth. “You doing better?”

“Much. I’m sorry about that.”

Daisy shrugged. “Shit happens.”

“What kind of shit have you seen that someone bleeding on the floor doesn’t faze you?”

“You do not want to know the answer to that.”

He probably didn’t. “How’s your first day going?”

“It was amazing except for this dude who started bleeding.” Robbie rolled his eyes, and she laughed. “Oh, and Mrs. Yang yelled at me in Chinese because she thought I should speak it.” Daisy looked at the floor. “May handled that. Apparently, it wasn’t anything rude, just her order, only louder.”

“Do you know any?”

“I know more Spanish. Not a lot of Chinese taught in California public schools when I went.”

Robbie shrugged. “I get it, not your fault though. My uncle says my Spanish sounds like I learned it from Dora the Explorer. I just don’t get much practice with these idiots.”

Daisy snorted. “You’re probably lying, but thanks anyway.”

He was, but she wasn’t supposed to know that. He took another long drink of the coffee. “I didn’t get you in trouble at work, did I?”

“No, I just have to stay later now to make up the hours, which is going to make for a long day but that’s alright.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Could be worse,” Daisy said. “I’m glad you’re standing upright.”

“I’m tough.”

“If you say so, because damn.”

“I’m fine, Daisy. Really.” The Rider made sure of that. Which was something else she could never know. Not if he wanted to talk to her at coffee breaks. But he knew how to play normal. “How’s New York treating you?”

“It’s like, L.A., only colder.”

Robbie laughed. “And probably smells worse.”

Daisy’s wide smile and sparkling eyes took his breath away, and it felt like they were the only two people in the world.

Shit. He really was turning into Fitz.

****

Tired despite the two cups of coffee Daisy had brought him, Robbie swung his leg over his bike much later than usual. He didn’t bother with the helmet because there was little point when there was a vengeance spirit protecting your back.

Or not protecting it.

He mentally poked at the Rider. _What the hell was with the bleeding? The whole agreement is for things like that not to happen._

The Rider gave a mental shrug. _You want the girl and needed help_.

_Your solution was to make me bleed so she’d take care of me?_

_Yes._

_You have a lot to learn about women._

_She spent all of your break talking to you._

Robbie rolled his eyes. _I’m not even going to respond to that._

He gunned the engine and took off but wasn’t even down the block before he saw Daisy in her jacket and knit cap walking out of a corner grocery store with bags hanging from her hands. Robbie, cursing himself, slowed down and pulled over.

“Hey,” he called.

Daisy looked up, then smiled. “Hey, yourself.”

“Need a ride?”

“On that death trap?”

Robbie sighed, but Daisy was already walking towards him, picking her way between two parked cars. “I promise it won’t be too scary,” he said, handing her the helmet while holding her groceries for her.

“Not in this traffic.” Daisy’s voice was muffled by the helmet. Robbie scooted forward, and she straddled the bike behind him with confidence. It made him jealous of whoever had taught her how to ride double. Which was not an emotion he should be having. He handed her the bags back, and she strung them on one arm as she wrapped her other around his middle.

 _See?_ the Rider said, and Robbie winced. This was just him being nice to a new friend. A friend whose knees were gripping his hips.

Fuck.

“Where am I going?” he asked Daisy.

“Oh my god, that’d be good to know.”

She rattled off an address, and he started the bike and pulled out into traffic, which was lighter than when he usually went home.

The ride went smoothly. Daisy knew when and how to lean, and as he pulled up to her building, he wished the trip had been a hell of a lot longer. He parked, and Daisy slipped off the back. He dismounted as well and held her bags as she removed the helmet.

Her hair was adorably mussed, and a strand caught on her lips. She brushed it away and reached for the bags.

Robbie didn’t let go. “I could help you up to your place with them.” He didn’t want the day to end and the night to come. Not yet.

She wrinkled her nose and looked him up and down, but then nodded. “Just to help out.”

“Yeah, that.” He hadn’t been thinking past spending a few more moments basking in her presence, but her drawing a line made him reconsider what he’d been asking. Shit. It had sounded like a crappy pickup line. “Really, Daisy.”

She laughed and walked towards the building. “Whatever, Reyes.” She unlocked the door into the building and paused. “I should warn you that my place is tiny.”

“It’s New York, of course it is.”

“Just wait.” She checked her mailbox, which contained what looked like a past-due bill, and trotted up the stairs. They were narrow and dark, the dusty bare bulb overhead not doing much to light up the yellowed walls and dreary wood.

The hallway was also lacking in lighting, but was clean and smelled of Lysol, so it was hardly the worst place he’d ever seen. Daisy opened the door, and he followed her inside, stepping over her cheerful yellow mat with white flowers on it, not wanting to soil it with his dirty work boots.

Robbie looked around, then looked around again in case he’d missed something. “You weren’t kidding about it being small.”

“Told you.”

The apartment was maybe ten feet from wall to wall and a single room. There was a sliding door he assumed led to a bathroom and a cramped kitchen with a small fridge and tiny stove next to the entrance. A rickety looking table with two chairs had been positioned against one wall, there was a couch that’d seen better days, a few shelves, and a mattress on the floor that was pushed into one corner.

“How do you do laundry?”

“Take a deep breath.”

Robbie did. “It smells like soap.”

“I live over a laundromat.”

“Ah.” He set the bags on the counter and started to unpack them. There wasn’t much. Some pasta and sauce, a salad, cereal, and a bag of chocolate pieces.

“May gave me an advance on my check, so I get to eat.”  Daisy plucked the cereal from his hands and opened the cupboard next to the stove to put it away.

Robbie didn’t know what to say. Did you congratulate someone when they knew they wouldn’t be hungry? He opened the fridge to put away the salad and noticed there wasn’t any milk. That cereal was going to be crunchy.

Daisy pulled a battered pan out and turned the tap on to fill it with water. She yawned, looking exhausted. He put his hand on the pan’s handle. “Let me. You’re dead on your feet.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll cook. You sit down. Does that TV of yours get the news?” The Rider had oddly not insisted Robbie get moving, yet, but he was on a countdown. Doing some research as to what was going on in the city could give him some time.

Daisy’s brows lifted. “You’re going to cook?”

“I’m going to boil some pasta and warm up some sauce, which probably qualifies.”

“Okay.” She went and plunked herself on the couch as Robbie tried to get the stove to light. It wasn’t working.

“There’s a trick to it—” Daisy started, right as Robbie called on the Rider for a little help. A flame shot out of his finger and the stove lit.

“Got it,” he said, glancing at her.

Daisy hadn’t moved further than the edge of the couch. She shrugged and picked up the remote, turning the small set on.

The news was as terrible as usual. When the pasta was done, Robbie brought plates with it and salad, along with the Catalan dressing from the door of the fridge, over to the couch.

“Thank you,” Daisy said, accepting a plate. “This is so nice.” She looked close to tears, and Robbie wondered when the last time someone had done something so simple for her had been.

“Wait until you taste it to thank me.” He’d found a few spices in her cabinets to add to the sauce, so he hoped it wasn’t too bland. “Or tomorrow, when you don’t die of food poisoning.”

She smiled. “I’ll do that.”

The news switched to a story about how a sewage worker had found a severed head in a drain. It concluded with the fact that the police did not think the man had died of natural causes.

“They’re wrong,” Robbie said around a mouthful of pasta. “You very naturally die when your head comes off.”

Daisy snorted. “I freaking hate when my head natural and spontaneously falls off.”

The Rider stirred under Robbie’s skin. The murdered man would need vengeance.

 _It’s not like we have any clue who it was or who did the killing_ , Robbie told it.

The Rider didn’t respond, but it was much more awake than it had been.

A commercial came on for a new art exhibit at the Met. “Does anyone impulse go to an art museum?” Daisy said with a laugh.

“Well, now I want to see…” He tilted his head. “Whatever that is.”

Daisy poked his leg. “You do not.”

“Sure, that…art stuff looks amazing.”

He didn’t have time for museums or art galleries, but that was yet another thing she didn’t need to know.

“I’d like to go to one of the events they have there,” Daisy said, standing and taking her finished plate to the sink. After rinsing it, she spun around. “I could wear a fancy dress and everyone would look at me.”

Her eyes were closed, and her lip caught between her teeth. Warmth spread through Robbie’s chest, then headed south as Daisy stopped and stretched her arms up, arching her back in what was probably a ballet pose, but mostly just outlined her breasts by pulling her shirt tight over them.

Robbie swallowed. “Y…you’re nice looking all the time.” He mentally kicked himself. Smooth. Standing, he hurried to set his dirty plate down. It was time to make his escape before anything happened that he couldn’t ignore, like kissing her. Or stripping her naked and spending several hours between her thighs.

His eyes landed on her full trash can.

“Thanks for cooking,” Daisy said, taking a step closer to him.

He made a grab for the trash. “I got to get home to Gabe. Thanks for sharing dinner. I’ll just get this.” He tied the top closed while Daisy watched with an amused smile.

“See you tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yeah, tomorrow, good.” He avoided the pretty mat again and headed down the hallway, Daisy closing the door behind him.

This sort of thing, chatting over dinner and awkwardly flirting, was not for him. Couldn’t be for him. Daisy wouldn’t understand.

The Rider shifted inside him, eager to be on the prowl.

Robbie carried the trash to the alley, tossing it in a dumpster there. There was a flare in the dark as someone lit a cigarette.

The Rider seethed.

The guy smoking wasn’t even paying attention to Robbie, wasn’t even doing anything incriminating, but the Rider could sense the evil that rolled off him.

Robbie walked further down the alley towards the man.

The guy looked up. “You got a problem?” he asked, his hand going to his pocket. There was probably a knife there.

“No,” Robbie said as the flames consumed him. The Rider grinned. “But you do.”


	5. You've Been Served

_A Week Later_

“Davis!” Daisy screeched.

He popped up from behind the counter, rag in hand, from where he’d been cleaning up a milk spill. “What?”

“Did you eat my muffin?”

“Oh, crap, I thought that was mine.”

Daisy sighed and dropped her head into her hands. “You so have to sweep now.”

Davis groaned. “Sorry.”

“Sweep.”

May walked out of the back, glared at Davis, and handed Daisy a cinnamon muffin before returning to her office.

Daisy took a huge bite. “That was awesome. Like my own personal muffin fairy.” Davis snorted, dropping the dirty rag into the sink. “May said she’d teach me some Chinese because ‘I obviously need it’.” She looked at her half-eaten muffin. “I don’t know the word for muffin.”

“Sōng bǐng,” he said absently, turning to pick up the ringing phone. Daisy glared at the back of his head as she mouthed the words. Davis nodded and hung up the phone. “Jemma’s on the way. It’s afternoon coffee time.”

Daisy grinned. “And Daisy breaktime.”

“Don’t think so. I need to go have a cig.”

She rolled her eyes. “Davis, you don’t smoke.”

“Damn, I’ll have to come up with a better excuse to keep you from going to drool for half an hour over Robbie.”

“I do not drool over him.” Probably. Not enough that anyone would notice.

Davis rolled his eyes and held the cup out to her so she could make Phil’s drink. Daisy had no idea what she did that was special, but Phil said her white chocolate mochas were the best, so if she was working, she made his for him. He always gave her the best smile when she handed him his drink.

A few minutes later Jemma entered, smiling widely. She picked up one drink carrier, and Daisy grabbed the other, and they walked out the door of the coffee shop together.

“A little bird told me Robbie had dinner at your flat,” Jemma said.

“Yeah, a little bird name Fitz and now Robbie’s in trouble for blabbing.”

“I was aiming for girl talk.” Jemma laughed.

“I promise you this is girl talk. Being mad at men is totally girl talk.”

“Accurate, now dish.”

“He made me dinner, and we watched the news, then he left.” Which had been weird, Daisy and thought he was going to come onto her. Instead, he’d taken out the trash. It was confusing.

“Was it a good dinner?” Jemma sounded dreamy.

“Um, it was okay spaghetti.”

Jemma sighed, and Daisy shot her a look. “You could invite Fitz over for dinner, you know.”

“We’re just friends.”

“Yeah, so are me and Robbie, but that doesn’t mean we can’t eat in the same place at the same time.”

“I don’t want to pressure Fitz,” Jemma murmured, and Daisy would have face-palmed if she wasn’t carrying drinks.

Time to change the conversation. “I like your blouse,” Daisy said. “The plum color really suits you.”

“Thank you. I was worried it was too dark.”

“Not at all, if you changed your doctor-shoes for heels after work you’d be ready to go clubbing.”

“Especially if I added dangly earrings.” Jemma paused at the entrance to the shop. “Not that I’m really the kind of person to go clubbing.”

Daisy shrugged. “Me either. But you can wear dangly earrings and hang out sometime at my place, and we can have real girl talk.”

Jemma smiled. “I’d like that.”

She opened the door and entered the garage, and Daisy followed close behind her. The change in lighting had her blinking, and by the time her eyes had adjusted, Fitz had already reached Jemma and was talking excitedly about something Daisy didn’t understand.

Daisy gave Phil his drink, basking in his grin, and gave Mack his black coffee. She carried Robbie’s over to him. He was bent over the engine of a fox-body mustang, grumbling to himself.

“No hello?” she said, sitting top of a tire and sipping her mocha.

“Hey,” Robbie said. “This timing belt is trying to murder me. Give me a sec.”

“Sure.” Oh, darn, she was going to have to stare at his ass while he worked on a car. How terrible. The blue overalls with oil stains weren’t the most flattering look, but she couldn’t complain. “How’s Gabe?”

“Good, he’s working on some project in English about Shakespeare.”

“What play?”

“Hell if I know.”

“I don’t remember that one.”

Robbi laughed and straightened up. He wiped his hand on a rag before coming over for his coffee. There was a dark streak of grease on one of his cheeks, but Daisy didn’t mind it staying right where it was.

He leaned against a tool chest and chugged his first drink of the coffee. “That hits the spot, chica, you’re an angel.”

“It was the silent angel.”

“Shit, I still say they didn’t actually know you before—”

The door to the garage banged open, and Daisy scrambled to her feet.

It was Trip. “Jemma!” he called, out of breath and waving a stack of papers. “Jemma!” He stopped in the middle of the garage, and it looked like he was shaking.

Daisy ran to him, reaching him the same time as Jemma.

“Trip, what wrong?” Jemma asked as Daisy put a hand on his back and pushed him towards a chair. It was an old plastic lawn chair, but it held as Trip collapsed into it.

Fitz appeared with a bottle of water and Trip took a long drink before he could talk. He pushed the papers he was carrying into Jemma’s hand. “Lincoln’s still at the clinic, holding down the fort. Appointments are always light during lunch.”

“What the bloody hell are these papers?” Jemma’s face had gone pale.

“There was a man, in a suit, didn’t give a name but he was tall, clean cut, and stank of money, came in waving them about. Said he was a lawyer and that the clinic was in violation of health and city code and was going to be shut down.”

Daisy was speechless.

“Did he say where he was from?” Mack asked.

“Some law firm, it’s on the paper.” Trip put a hand over his eyes.

“Branson & Smith,” Jemma said. “But I don’t understand. We had an inspection in October and passed with flying colors. There’s not been one since then. This is…this is my life. Right Direction is my life.”

Daisy grabbed the papers as Jemma turned and fell into Fitz’s arms.

Everything was typed up very neatly, and looked very legal, though most of what she read made little sense to her. She glanced up at Robbie, who was glowering. “Fuck this,” he said, kicking the tire of the nearest car. “That clinic helps people, and we know none of you are making much money because you let people pay cash all the time.”

Daisy nodded as she flipped through the pages.

There were all kinds of things listed, like dimensions of counter spaces, placement of trash cans, and a lot more stuff that didn’t make sense to her.

“They can’t just do this, can they?” Fitz asked.

Trip shook his head. “Don’t know.”

“What’s happening?” Phil appeared, his coffee still in hand.

Mack sighed. “Some fancy lawyer showed up at Trip and Jemma’s place, gave them a bunch of papers, something about code violations, and said the clinic needed to close.”

“Did they say when?” Phil looked bewildered.

Trip hunched over and put his head in his hands. “Um, two weeks.”

Jemma made an anguished sound and Fitz stroked her hair.

“Can I see the papers?” Phil asked, and Daisy handed them over. His brow furrowed more and more the further he read. He looked up. “This is impossible to read.”

“Should I take it to a lawyer?” Trip asked. “Have them make sense of it.”

Phil shook his head. “I think it’s meant to stall you. You don’t need a lawyer. You need Melinda May.” He gave the papers back to Daisy. “Take them to her. She’ll know what to do.”

“I’m going with you,” Robbie said.

“It’s next door.” Daisy started walking towards the exit. “I’ll be fine.”

“Still going.” He caught up with her as she exited but remained silent as they walked quickly to the coffee shop. She could tell he was pissed. The anger was rolling off him in waves.

The door chimed as they entered and Davis looked up, but whatever he was going to say died on his lips and his face fell. “May,” he called.  “You’re needed!”

She appeared, took one look and Daisy and Robbie, and pointed towards the back. “Kitchen, now.”

They followed her, and the three of them ended up standing around one of stainless-steel tables in the kitchen. Daisy slapped the papers down. “Someone’s trying to close Jemma and Trip’s clinic down.”

May put a finger on them and pulled the stack over to her. “Branson & Smith,” she murmured.

“You know them?” Robbie asked.

“Big place downtown,” May said. “Dirtier than the bottom of your shoes.”

Robbie made a face but didn’t contradict her.

“So…this is probably not bullshit?” Daisy asked. “Because I was hoping it was just crap.”

May kept flipping through the papers “Oh, it’s bullshit, but it’s legal bullshit. The ordnances they’re citing haven’t been enforced for decades. This one references something from 1862.” She glanced up. “Somebody got paid hundreds of dollars an hour for this.”

“They’re dead,” Robbie snarled, then sighed and pressed his hands to the work table. “Sorry.”

“I understand the sentiment.” May’s voice was tight. “We’re not going to let them do this to one of our own.” She went back to reading and Daisy put her hand over one of Robbie’s. It was warm, like he had a fever, but she didn’t move away, and neither did he.

“You okay?” Daisy asked in a low voice.

“I’m furious, but yeah, otherwise good.”

“You’re not about to start bleeding?”

He blew out a breath. “Don’t think so.” He turned his hand over and wove his fingers with hers. “Daisy, I promise you, Jemma and Trip’s clinic is going to go nowhere.”

She stared at their joined hands. “I believe you.” She raised her eyes to his face. Robbie looked serious. Dead serious. It was both sexy and scary. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.” A corner of his mouth lifted up.

“Got you,” May whispered, and dropped the papers on the table.

“Got who?” Daisy asked.

May’s expression was grim. “It’s a dozen pages deep, but I found a name.”

“Who’s paying for the fancy lawyers?” Robbie sounded deadly.

“HartLife.”

“Who?” Daisy asked as Robbie made a noise like a growl.

“They’re a healthcare conglomerate,” May said. “They play hardball. My guess is they want a clinic in this part of Queens, and Right Direction is in the way, so they’re taking it out.”

Daisy tried to quell the rising panic in her chest. “What can we do?”

“Relax.” May crossed her arms, looking the opposite of relaxed. “I have some people I need to call. Robbie, don’t go firebombing their office. It won’t help.”

“That’s very specific,” Daisy said, frowning at Robbie. It seemed he’d suddenly found the corner of the table interesting.

“Ignore it tonight,” May said. “And I’ll start digging. I’ll let you know when I find something. Now go tell the others.”

Daisy and Robbie nodded, and Davis gave them a puzzled look as they filed back out into the street, Daisy’s hand in Robbie’s.

Trip and Jemma were still in the garage, and they beelined over to Daisy when she walked in.

“What’d she say?” Trip asked.

Daisy hesitated, and Robbie waved everyone over. “It’s a pile of crap,” he said when they’d  crowded around.

“May’s getting in contact with someone she thinks can help,” Daisy said. “She said we should all lay low tonight, and not make any kind of noise about it for now.”

“Robbie,” Mack said.

“She already told me,” he grumbled.

Phil drummed his fingers against his legs. “Okay, this is a start. Let’s get back to work.”

There was a collective groan, but Jemma gave Fitz a quick hug before leaving with Trip. Once they were gone, Mack and Fitz returned to the cars they’d been working on, and Phil went back to his office.

“Time for me to go as well,” Daisy said, she untangled her hand from Robbie’s. “Thanks for being so willing to help out.”

“I don’t like anyone messing with where I live or work.” His eyes fixed on her. “Or people I care about.”

“I’ll see you soon,” she said. “Keep trucking, or whatever mechanics say.” She turned to leave, but Robbie caught her arm.

He looked much less confident that a moment ago. “Hey, um, do you want to come and have dinner with me and Gabe? After work? Maybe go see a movie or something?”

Daisy’s mouth dropped open. It wasn’t quite like he was asking her on a date since his brother would be there, but that made it almost better. He was asking her to be a part of his family, for at least one night.

“What are you having?” She asked. “Not that it matters, because I’m so there.”

“Probably lasagna.”

Her brow raised. “Are we just destined to eat Italian together?”

Robbie shrugged. “If you want, I can make menudo?”

“Nope, lasagna’s great.”

He grinned. “Not a fan?”

“You do not want to know.”

Robbie laughed.

“Hey,” Mack yelled. “It can be good.”

Robbie made a face. “That’s mondongo.”

“Close enough!”

“Okay, if Elena makes it, I know it will be good.”

Mack pulled out his phone. “I’m texting her, later this week you’re in for a treat, Daisy.”

Daisy looked at Robbie. “Is it still made with the same cow parts?”

He snorted. “You’ll like it, I promise. And you’ll like my lasagna. Gabe makes the garlic bread, and it’s amazing.”

“Should I bring a salad?”

“I’ve already got the stuff to make it, so next time.”

Daisy wanted to call him on not letting her spend money, but mostly she was grateful. “Next time for sure.”

“I’ll pick you up at your place at around six?”

“Cool.” That would let her get ready and calm down some of her nerves from the day.

Robbie grinned. “Cool.”


	6. That's Where It Is

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday to the amazing WhistlingWindTree, without whom I would have never taken the risk of writing a long fic outside my usual pairing, or even discovered how much I like the Quakerider dynamic! I hope you're having a lovely day!

Robbie smoothed his hair down while looking in his review mirror. He hadn’t wanted to pick her up on the bike again so he’d run home and gotten his car. The Hellcharger’s engine rumbled as he waited outside Daisy’s building, the sound loud.

Daisy’s came out of the door, shoving her keys in her bag, and when she looked up and saw him in the car, she grinned. “Holy crap, Robbie,” she said as she got in. Her eyes wandered over the spotless interior.

He smiled at her. The ride was cherry, partly his work and a little the Rider’s. “You like?”

“Hell yeah, I like.”

Gunning the engine, he spun the tires as he took off and Daisy whooped. “I thought this would be better than the bike.” He kept one hand on the wheel and leaned back in the seat and rested the other on the shift knob.

Daisy pet the dashboard. “She’s very pretty.”

Robbie’s heart did something funny in his chest as the Rider purred. He could almost feel her hands on the car, like it was an extension of himself. In a way it was, but he didn’t think that included caressing. Damn. “You like the classics?”

“One of the foster families I was with, the dad liked old cars, and we’d go to car shows. I learned a lot in the six months I was there.” She didn’t sound sad, but Robbie watched her hair drop forward to cover her face as she bowed her head. Man, she had a deep well of pain hidden somewhere in there.

“Gabe’s looking forward to meeting you,” he said to change the subject.

“Cool, me to. I mean meeting him, I’ve met myself.”

Robbie laughed. “That’s good. I should warn you that he is going to tease us. Mostly me, but you too. He won’t believe you’re not my girlfriend.”

“Well, I am a friend that’s a girl, so he’s close.”

Robbie kept his eyes fixed forward. He did not need a girlfriend, one in tight jeans and a pretty top with long dark hair he wanted to run his fingers through.

The Rider laughed.

 _Shut it_ , Robbie groused. Per usual, it didn’t listen to him.

“Thank for inviting me,” Daisy said. “It’s been a day.”

“Yeah, that crap with the clinic is really getting to me.”

“Me too.”

He didn’t know how to respond, but fire licked through his veins. The Rider knew it was wrong, and as soon as Robbie figured out who was the bad guy, the Rider would get his say.

It wasn’t long before he pulled into his spot in front of the brownstone.

“Wow, real New York,” Daisy said, hopping out.

“My uncle owns it, but he’s not here a lot.” Robbie led her inside. “Usually it’s just me and my brother.”

Daisy looked around. “There’s so much room!” The large windows and high ceilings made the place feel bigger than it was, and Robbie appreciated that, being closed in with the Rider made him itchy.

“Any place is going to seem big after your shoebox,” he said.

“Hey, it’s easy to keep clean.”

Gabe rolled out of the kitchen. “I got the garlic bread in the oven,” he said, and caught sight of Daisy. “Oh, wow, you’re Daisy?”

She shrugged off her jacket while smiling at him. “And you better be Gabe.”

Gabe smiled widely at her. “The one and only. Cool shirt.”

Daisy had something sparkly on along with her jeans. It was cool, but now Robbie couldn’t say that because Gabe already had. He glared at his brother.

Gabe stuck his tongue out at him before turning back to Daisy. “You work at the coffee shop?”

“Yeah, I am learning way more about coffee than I ever thought I would.”

“It’s like chemistry, kind of, right?”

“Only you can drink all the stuff, they don’t let you do that in chemistry lab.”

“You can if you’re not a coward.”

Robbie sighed. “Gabe.” But Daisy was laughing and high fived him. Terrific, his brother had more game than he did. “Want something to drink?” he asked Daisy.

“What you got?”

“Water, juice, soda, probably a beer.”

“Coke?” she asked hopefully.

Robbie nodded and lead her into the kitchen, Gabe following. He handed her a can from the fridge and she sat in a chair while Gabe took his usual spot and Robbie checked on dinner. “Maybe another ten minutes or so?”

“Cool,” Daisy said. “What do you guys do for fun?”

“Video games,” Gabe said. “Reading, TV.” He shrugged. “That’s me, anyway, Robbie kind of just sits around and broods.”

He sighed. “It’s called relaxing. I don’t brood.”

“He totally broods,” Gabe said in a loud whisper to Daisy.

“I bet he does,” she said in the same tone. Great, his brother and his not-a-girlfriend were conspiring against him.

“We could watch a movie or something after dinner,” Gabe said. “Or play Uno.”

Daisy’s face lit up. “Uno!”

Gabe turned to him. “See, dude, it is only you who hates it.”

“That’s because you always win.”

“I am the champion.”

Daisy crossed her legs. “Well, you haven’t played me yet.”

“You going to play if we do?” Gabe asked Robbie.

Did he have a choice? “Yeah.”

“Sweet!” Gabe turned back to Daisy. “You’ve made tonight better already. So, why do you like my brother?”

Robbie was going to choke him.

 _No you won’t_ , the Rider said.

Okay, fine, he wouldn’t, but he’d think about it really hard.

Daisy looked thoughtful. “I guess because he’s a pretty cool guy. We aren’t actually dating or anything, but he asked if I wanted to hang out with you two, and of course I did.”

Gabe nodded sagely. “Robbie is a pretty cool guy.”

Robbie had to lean against the counter because Gabe sounded dead serious and he never said stuff like that.

“My brother,” Gabe continued. “Takes real good care of me, especially since,” he waved at his legs, “and it’s neat to see him have someone over. He hasn’t, not for a long time.”

“I’m glad he asked me then.”

“You must be pretty special.”

Daisy smiled. “Well, I like to think so.”

The timer dinged on the over and Robbie was glad to turn his attention to the food. He tuned out the chatting as he got the bread and lasagna out of the oven, and the salad from the fridge. He made plates and set them down in front of everyone before taking his own seat.

“Work on anything interesting at the garage?” Gabe asked after everyone had taken their first bites.

Robbie was relieved and launched into a story about an Italian car he’d tried to work on, then Mack had tried, and finally Fitz had figured out that the problem with the ignition had something to do with a short in the rear wiper.

Daisy ate like she was starving and then helped him with the dishes after while Gabe went to mess around in the living room.

“Thank you,” Robbie said as they stood side by side at the sink, him washing and her drying.

“For what?” 

“Being nice to Gabe.”

“Was I supposed to be something else?”

Robbie stuck his hands in the water and scrubbed at the lasagna pan. She could have been a lot of things. Daisy could have been uncomfortable with him, because of the chair, to the point of ignoring him like he’d seen too many time, or asked a bunch of endless questions about the accident or being disabled, or treated Robbie like a kid instead of someone almost in college. “No,” he said. “It’s just, a lot of people can’t deal well with how he is.”

Daisy silently dried the salad bowl. “Yeah, people suck.”

Robbie couldn’t argue that one. “They do.”

When they finished, they found Gabe in his chair beside the couch, which was cozy with blankets and pillows. “I thought we’d watch The Fast & The Furious?” he asked, trying to look innocent. “Uno can be next time.”

Robbie sat down and put a foot on the coffee table. “Daisy?”

“Sure, I love that one.”

She sat beside him and sank down into the cushions yawning. He did as well, and they were barely to the first race, with Gabe making jokes about Robbie being the slow and slightly miffed, when his eyes started to get heavy. The next thing he knew, the door was being unlocked, and he was curled up with his head on Daisy’s shoulder. She was out too, but stirred as he sat up.

“Is the movie over?” she asked, sleepily looking around. Gabe was nowhere to be seen, and the DVD was back on the menu screen.

“Think so.” Robbie stood and helped Daisy up as his uncle walked in, papers in his hand and a satchel over his should.

“Hello, Uncle Eli,” he said, as Daisy rubbed her eyes and blinked at Eli. “This is Daisy, she had dinner with me and Gabe, I’m just going to run her home.”

Eli looked exhausted. “Hi Daisy, nice to meet you. If Robbie didn’t tell you, I work downtown, but I needed to come home for a break.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Daisy was staring at one of the files Eli was carrying. “Who do you work for?”

“Health care company,” Eli said. “I’m mostly behind the scenes, I’m not a doctor or anything.”

“Hartlife?”

Robbie started, and Eli looked surprised. “My company is affiliated, and we do some contract work. How did you know?”

She pointed at the file in his hands. “I recognized the logo.” Daisy must have been doing her research

Eli smiled. “I’m thinking of trying to get a job there. The place I’m at is running my ragged, and I’d like to spend some more time with my nephews. I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone, Robbie.”

“We’re not exactly seeing each other,” Robbie said, looking at his feet. “It was just dinner.”

“Pull the other one.” Eli laughed. “Daisy, you’re smart and lovely, don’t let my nephew fool you, he likes you. Now if you excuse me, I want a shower with real hot water.”

He made his way deeper into the house, and Daisy retrieved her jacket while Robbie stuffed his feet back into his boots. They didn’t speak until Robbie had started the engine.

“Can you tell him not to work for them?” Daisy asked as she looked at the lights outside the window.

“I’ll try,” Robbie said, and rubbed his face. “I’m worried. What if they figure out Eli’s connected to me? And I’m connected to the clinic?”

“It’s a tenuous connection.”

“You saw the legal brief today. Do you think those roaches care about tenuous?” The charger’s engine gunned without him putting his foot on the accelerator. It was picking up his anger, and the Rider seethed, needing to be let out. As soon as Daisy was safe at her place, he’d let it loose.

“I guess not.” She groaned. “I guess we’re back to people sucking.”

“Yeah.” He pulled into the tiny lot of her building, and she undid her belt and turned towards him. The front of her jacket was unzipped and her shirt reflected the dim light from a streetlamp, turning it into something magical. “That really is a cool shirt.”

“Thank you,” she said, voice soft. Her eyes were large and dark, and as he watched, the tip of her tongue darted out to lick her lips.

He couldn’t fight it.

Robbie leaned over and hesitated with his mouth right over Daisy’s. He’d never imagined he could want to kiss someone this badly. This wild, infuriating woman who was a bright light in his darkness. Who was nice to Gabe and cared about her friends.

There was no way a monster like him should be doing this. None.

Daisy closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was soft and sweet, and he moaned. Grabbing the front of her jacket, he hauled her closer to him and plunged his tongue into her mouth.

She mewled, and her tongue was just as bold as his. It explored his mouth, mapping it out, and spiraled around his.

He was on fire.

The fingers of one hand tangled into her hair as he cupped the back of her head and kissed her desperately.  

Daisy’s palm caressed his cheek, and he turned to kiss it, leaving her panting.

“Holy crap, Robbie,” she breathed.

He managed to still himself, but was still nuzzling her hand. “Sorry.”

“Sorry? I need to check and see if my socks are still on because you might have just knocked them off.”

Robbie chuckled despite himself. “I just…damn it, now was not a good time for me to start whatever this is.” He gestured a finger between the two of them. The Rider was laughing at him again.

“It’s not much of anything, yet,” Daisy said, leaning in to peck his cheek. “But it’s a start, and I’m interested in finding out if it’s more. I like you, Robbie. You’re like a cactus, with a spiny outside and a not spiny inside.”

“I also don’t need a lot of watering.”

She laughed and took his hand. “Thanks for the great night.”

“Thank you for making it great.” He kissed her knuckles and let her go. She climbed out, shut the car door, and waved before entering her building. Robbie watched her until he couldn’t see her lovely ass anymore.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, then put the car in gear and drove out of the lot.

The Rider was on high alert, ready for action now that Daisy was home safe.

Without thinking much about it, Robbie headed towards the Queensboro Bridge across the East River and into Manhattan. He wasn’t looking for the usual drug dealers and gangbangers. Tonight, the Rider wanted a different kind of sinner.


	7. The Great Wide Open

Alarms were evil. Pure evil.

Daisy clicked hers off and stayed snuggled under the covers. She needed to get up and go to work. Soon. Eventually.

She spent a few glorious minutes reliving Robbie’s kiss, which was her new favorite hobby as of three days ago, and wasn’t entirely surprised by the way warmth filled her belly. Her fingers ghosted over her lips as she remembered the feel of his mouth, his taste, his clean, masculine scent.

She stretched out her legs and pointed her toes, her entire body humming from just a memory.

Too bad he hadn’t come inside with her. The last couple of days they’d gone back to shallow conversations over coffee, but Daisy had caught him looking at her with fire in his eyes more than once.

If there was only him and her in the garage, would it be her shift he’d ask about or the weather?

Daisy’s eyes closed and she smoothed a hand down her front. If the garage was dark, and it was just them, would he be so polite?

She could imagine Robbie pulling her to him, their mouths fitting together in a heated kiss. He’d lie down on the hood of a car, and she’d straddle him, pressing against the front of his jeans.

Daisy rubbed her legs together. Yes. Those big hands of his would land on her ass, but he wouldn’t stop kissing her. In her imagination, she humped wildly against Robbie’s erection, but in real life, she had to settle for the poor substitute of shoving her hand under the waistband of her cotton panties and pressing fingers to her clit.

Maybe she could start saving some change so she could buy a dildo? That’d be a cute jar to have on the counter: support the horny barista fund.

She whimpered slightly as she rubbed herself. Robbie could come in late and see it. God, him holding it up. “Chica, you’re going to need a bigger jar, my dick won’t fit in here.”

Damn, her mind was set to cheesy porno. Oh well. Daisy pinched her nipple and rocked her hips against her hand.

If Robbie showed up asking if she wanted a large sausage, she wouldn’t tell him no. God, she wanted to strip those tight jeans right off him and show him just how good she was with her mouth. Her tongue­--

“Uh,” she inelegantly blurted as she came. Her body twitched with the orgasm for a few seconds, but it wasn’t overly satisfying, and she didn’t have the energy or time to try for another one. Daisy made a face and wiped her hand on the sheet, then groaned. Great, now she needed to do laundry.

After a shower, a few bites of cereal, and spending way too long doing her makeup, she managed to be on time to work.

May called a greeting in Chinese and Daisy returned it. She must not have butchered it too bad because May didn’t make her repeat it ten times.

Davis was sweeping the dining area, and Daisy went behind the counter to check that the fridge was stocked and the espresso machine clean.

Foot traffic into the store started to pick up, and Daisy barely had time to think for a few hours. What few seconds she had she used to start working on a plan to ask Robbie out. It was complicated because she couldn’t afford a restaurant but there was no way him and Gabe could come over because her apartment had zero accommodations for accessibility. Something she hadn’t even realized until she’d hung out with Gabe.

Maybe they could go hang out at a café together, somewhere cheap, with outdoor tables were they could sit together and make fun of the tourists. Daisy was sure Jemma would be so proud of her for having an actual plan.

Right after the lunch rush, May took Davis aside. They were talking in hushed tones, and Davis seemed put out, but when he reappeared, he looked resigned.

“You so owe me. Come in and open tomorrow.”

“What?” It was her day off.

“I’m serious. And go talk to May.”

Daisy made a face but turned the register over to him. She took off her apron as she walked into the kitchen where May was inspecting one of her knives.

“Daisy,” she said, looking up.

Daisy felt like she’d been caught smoking behind the gym and been sent to the principal’s office. “Yeah?”

“Are you one-hundred percent committed to stopping Jemma’s clinic from being shuttered?” May’s voice was eerily calm.

“Yeah. Why?”

May studied her and Daisy squirmed. “I’m paying you to go to Midtown and get a folder from a contact I’ve had digging into Hartlife. You’re to meet him on the observation deck of the Empire State Building.”

“I’m what?”

May looked very much like she wanted to punch something or someone. “Don’t ask. He’s like this. I’ve sent him your picture so he knows who he’s looking for.” May crossed her arms. “And Davis is staying for you, and you’ll cover his open tomorrow. Got it?”

“Yes. Empire State. Folder. Open tomorrow.”

May walked towards her office but stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Oh, and Reyes is going with you.”

Daisy’s heart did a little somersault. “Okay, er, why? Wouldn’t I be less conspicuous by myself?”

“Probably, but when I told him you wouldn’t be there for coffee today, he nearly tore my head off through the phone. So congratulations, you have a bodyguard.”

“Yay?”

May shut the door to her office, and Daisy went to make sure her mascara wasn’t running and that her knit hat was at just the right angle.

She waved at Davis, who stuck his tongue out at her, and opened the door to the coffee shop. Robbie had been reaching for it, and she nearly ran into him.

“Daisy,” he caught her arms.

“We have to stop meeting like this.”

He didn’t smile. “Stay close to me. If you see anything suspicious, tell me immediately. Help me keep you safe.” He sounded dead serious.

“Okay. I don’t know why this is all so cloak and dagger.”

He put an arm around her and steered her towards the nearest subway station. “Because there’s a lot of money involved with anything Hartlife does, and taking out the competition by whatever means necessary is the kind of thing they do.”

A chill went down her spine, and she swayed closer to Robbie. “Thank you for coming with me.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied gruffly. They descended into the subway station, paid their fare, and went to wait for the train. She knew from experience it’d take them most of an hour to get from Queens to Penn Station, but when Robbie grabbed one of the handholds at the end of the car and tucked her against him with his arm protectively around her, Daisy found she didn’t mind so much.

She swayed against him, and he held her tighter when the lights did their usual but unpredictable flicker.

It was entirely too soon that they climbed up the stairs onto West 34th street. There were a lot of people all hurrying to get somewhere. The street was packed with cars, and the entire place was noisy and smelled of fast food grease and exhaust.

Robbie frowned, then took her hand. “Stay close.”

They walked quickly down the street, towards the looming shape of the Empire State Building. Both sides of the street were lined with slick looking retail outlets, and a 7-11, for some reason. It made her want a Slurpee, even though she hadn’t had one in years and the sugar would make her hyper for two weeks.

“What flavor Slurpees do you like?” she asked Robbie.

“The blue kind.” He was looking at her like she’d grown a second head. “Because it makes your tongue blue. Why are you asking?”

She squeezed his fingers with hers. “I want to know you better.”

“No, you don’t.” His face darkened.

Daisy halted and pulled him to a stop too. “No way, not even. Robbie Reyes, you don’t get to kiss a girl and then decided if she does or does not want to get to know more about you.”

Robbie’s jaw clenched, but then he looked heavenward. “Okay, you’re right.” They started walking again. “I bet you like the red kind.”

“Nope, I’m Coca-cola all the way.”

“Lies. Everyone mixes that one.”

She snorted. “I don’t. And see, I’m full of surprises.”

“That you have hideous taste in drinks is a surprise?” He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Watch it, or I will get one and make you kiss me after.”

Robbie’s face softened, and a smile played over his lips. “You might convince me that way.”

The day suddenly seemed much warmer, and Daisy tilted her head back to look up at the bulk of the Empire State Building. “It’s really…big.” She giggled.

“Haven’t you been here before?”

Daisy shook her head. “Starving artist.”

Robbie grinned, and he looked out of the corner of his eye at her. “I’ve always wanted to take a date here.”

“Maybe you will someday.”

“I’m thinking today.” He led her into the lobby, and approached the ticket counter, heading for the prepaid window.

Daisy balked at the price. “It’s forty bucks for each of us, that’s insane.”

“Luckily, Phil paid, including the extra so we can skip the lines. That how I knew May was going to send you, I heard Phil talking on the phone with her because she wanted him to use his card.”

“Oh, wow. This is totally crazy.”

“It’ll be fine.” They got their tickets and were soon shooting up the elevator towards the 86th floor. Daisy was examining the inside of the elevator car and the other passengers, Robbie close beside her. He hunched his shoulders.

“Not your favorite?”

“I’d rather listen to Mack and Fitz argue over obscure British bands.”

Daisy cupped his cheek. “That is bad.”

The corner of his mouth turned up, and he relaxed when the door to the elevator opened and they were herded into the tourist center. Robbie’s head was on a swivel, but then he led Daisy outside, and she gasped, pulling out of his hand to run to the chain link fence that enclosed the observation deck.

The city was spread out in all directions. It was a forest of steel, concrete, and glass. So many people lived and worked in the building she could see. Millions of them. It seemed impossible.

Robbie came to stand beside her, blocking the chill wind.

“It’s something,” he said.

“Holy shit, Robbie. This isn’t something. This is…I don’t know. Cool.”

“I’ll give you cool.”

They slowly milled around while Daisy goggled at the sheer immense size of Manhattan.  It was different when your head was in the clouds and not down on the ground.

A man stopped next to her, even though the observation deck wasn’t very crowded.

“Hello, luv,” he said, and she shot him a glance. Scruffy, dressed like Eurotrash. “I think you’re looking for me.”

“Am I?”

The man sighed. “I told May we needed a code word. The name’s Hunter. Over there is my bride,” he gestured with his chin to a tall blonde woman, “Bobbi. She can kick both of your asses without trying, so don’t do anything rash.”

Daisy quirked her lips. “Alright.”

“I could take her,” Robbie said.

Hunter grimaced. “You don’t want to try.” Robbie stayed silent, and Hunter sighed. “Anyway, Daisy, I’ve got a file under my shirt that I need to give you. It’s scary and damaging for Hartlife. I’ve been up here for a couple of hours, keeping track of everyone and making sure Bobbi and I aren’t being monitored. Which is a no, by the way.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah, but this info, it’s volatile. Hartlife is way more fucked up than just being a bunch of greedy bastards.” He turned and casually leaned against the fence, but his eyes were serious as they met hers. “Get this to May. Watch your back. I hope this bloke with you is as scary as he’s trying to look.”

“Got it,” Daisy said softly.

“We’re still looking for firmer proof. Tell May we’re not done.” Hunter took her by the elbow and pulled her over to him, her body blocking the view as he pulled a thin envelope with pieces of paper in it from under his shirt and pressed it into her arms. They stood like that a minute more, then Daisy turned, and Robbie put his arms around her, trapping the folder between them.

“We’ll catch you later,” Hunter said from behind her. “Stay safe.”

He walked away, and Daisy waited until a different group of people had flowed around her and Robbie.

Reaching up, she tugged at the zipper of his leather jacket. “I’m cold,” she said, trying to not think about how erotic it was to pull the zipper down, the sound loud.

When it was mostly open, she pushed back against him, the file still pinned between their bodies. “How’s this?” he asked gruffly, wrapping his arms around her while she put her hands on his chest.

“Warmer.” He was hot under her palms. “This is nice.”

“Being warm?”

“Being with you, on what feels like the top of the world.”

Robbie put a finger under her chin and tipped her face up to his. “Being with you always makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.”

He kissed her. Softly at first, but it quickly deepened into something more primal. Daisy’s eyes slid closed because no view could match the feeling of Robbie Reyes kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

His lips finally left hers, but she followed him and kissed him again, nipping at his lower lip until their tongues met and explored each other.

This time it was her that broke the kiss. She felt dizzy and started to step back, only to feel the file shift and start to drop. Robbie managed to catch it and get it pressed close to his chest and belly as he zipped his coat back up.

Daisy had never imagined she’d be jealous of a file folder.

“We need to take this back to May,” he said, cradling her against his chest. She kissed his jaw.

“One more kiss?”

“Uno más.”

He curled a hand around the back of her head, and his lips fit against hers again. Daisy had to hang onto the fence as her knees threatened to buckle. Robbie was very good at kissing her.

And for a few minutes, she didn’t care about anything else in the world.


	8. Circles of Hell

Robbie immediately felt better when he walked into his home. He toed his boots off, sighing in relief. In the kitchen, he grabbed the scrub that would get most of the grease off his hands. The orange scent filled his nose, and he replayed the highlights of the day, which included convincing a fan belt it did, in fact, want to be changed, and spending his coffee break with Daisy.

His heart had leaped into his throat the minute she’d appeared, and his stomach had done a swan dive. His fingers had itched to grab her the entire time they’d talked.

Only Daisy was so interesting and fun to talk to that he’d quickly relaxed and enjoyed chatting to her over his coffee and her mocha.

As Robbie rubbed at his cuticles, he became aware that someone was watching him. He turned his head to find Gabe sitting in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, his arms crossed, studying Robbie.

“Creep much?” Robbie asked.

“Yeah, I stealthily rolled over here while clipping my footrest on the couch and cursing.”

“Ah.” Robbie turned off the water and dried his hands. “I didn’t hear over the water.”

Gabe shook his head. “Whatever. You were grinning to yourself and on another planet. One probably named Daisy.” Robbie rolled his eyes. “Nope, you’re totally in love with her. I can see it.”

Robbie pulled a beer from the fridge. “Are you that creepy kid from Game of Thrones now?”

“I’m going to run over your toes every chance I get. And don’t change the topic. You like Daisy.”

The beer fizzed as Robbie popped the top. It wasn’t any use lying to Gabe. “I’ll admit to like. I don’t think I know her well enough yet for the other.” The Rider scoffed in his skull. Robbie sighed.

Gabe also scoffed. “Sure, like. That’s how you look at her.”

“And how do I look at her?” Terrific, his brother and his paranormal side were in agreement.

“Like the heart-eyes emoji.”

Well, shit. That made Robbie think of Fitz and Jemma. He should really pull his coworker aside and have a talk with him about drooling at work.

“She’s cute,” he mumbled, and was saved from having to say anything more by his cell phone ringing. He grabbed for it. “I have to take this.” He didn’t recognize the number, but even a telemarketer would be better than trying to thwart his brother’s attempts to…get him to date Daisy more? What was Gabe’s goal? “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Trip.”

Robbie stood up straighter. “Is everything okay? Where’s Daisy?”

Trip chuckled. “Dude, she’s fine. I’m calling you from a payphone in a bar.”

“Those still exist?” He tried to remember the last time he’d seen one, but it’d been a while. From even before he’d ended up with the Rider. He rubbed at his eyes as the Rider stirred. Something was up. “Never mind, why are you calling me?”

“I was wondering if you’d help me out.”

“With?”

“Just meet me in front of Joe’s Tavern.”

Robbie took a gulp of beer. He’d gotten home ten minutes ago, but with the way the Rider was skittering inside him, he knew he’d be putting his boots back on and heading out into the night. There was no doubt this was about the clinic. “Yeah, give me ten or fifteen.”

“Thank you.” Trip sounded relieved.

Robbie shoved his phone in his pocket and went to find Gabe, who was playing a video game. “I need to go help a friend. There’s frozen stuff for dinner. Will you be okay?”

“Is this friend Daisy?” Gabe paused his game and looked up.

Robbie shook his head. “It’s a friend-friend. A guy who needs help.”

“Damn, I thought you might be trying to sneak out on a date. And of course it’s okay, you’re always Robbie the hero. Be safe out there.” Gabe unpaused the game.

“Thanks,” Robbie muttered. He wasn’t much of a hero, or Gabe wouldn’t need a chair. The Rider heated his skin but subsided as Robbie did up his leather jacket. The fucking thing knew they were heading off to do something stupid and approved.

Robbie didn’t need any other proof that leaving the brownstone was a bad idea.

****

He pulled up in front of the bar, but there was nowhere to park his bike. Thankfully, Trip must have been watching because he exited the bar, letting the door slam shut behind him. He was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt and looked nervous as hell.

He edged over to where Robbie was sitting on his bike.

“Everything alright?” Robbie asked.

Trip rubbed at his temples. “Sorry, but not really. I can’t shake the feeling I’m being watched.”

“Just tell me what’s up.”

Trip made a face. “Look, I met with a guy who’s friends with someone who works security at Hartlife. Long story short, I have a key card that’ll open most doors there. I want to go have a look.”

“So you called me.” He crossed his arms. “Fair.”

“We can have a look around.”

Robbie considered it. “Maybe just I should. You could potentially end your career. Nobody’s going to be surprised that some guy who looks like me is nosing around.”

“This shirt has a hood. And are you going to tell me that some security guard is going to be able to tell one black guy in a hoodie from another in their grainy security footage?”

“We can steal some copper, make it look like a drug hit.” Robbie glanced over at the street as a car horned blared, but not at him. There was also the fact that the demon he carried didn’t play well with video recordings. Hartlife probably didn’t have cheap security cameras, but if he stuck close to Trip, they should both be too distorted on camera to be identified.

Trip laughed mirthlessly. “They’ll see what they want.”

“People are also going to see what they want when you climb up behind me on this sports bike.” Robbie could care less, and he knew Trip did too, but it was still fun to tease.

“Dude, you wish you could get with someone as hot as me.” Trip stepped off the curb, his usual cockiness back in place. He swung his leg over the bike and put an arm around Robbie. The bike’s engine roared to life, and Robbie took off into traffic, weaving through cars. They couldn’t talk again until Robbie parked the bike in an alley close to the company offices.

They got off the Ducati, and Robbie was thankful that Trip didn’t ask him how he knew where to go. The guy just flipped the hood of his sweatshirt up and stuck his hands in his pockets.

There was evil here, amid the towering glass and steel buildings. Robbie could feel it descending along with the darkness that filled up previously bright spaces as the sun sank below the horizon. The Rider wanted free rein. It knew murder didn’t always involve choking the life out of someone face to face.

A denial of benefits or raising the price of a lifesaving drug worked just as well.

Robbie pushed it down. _Not now._

_Soon?_

_Yeah, soon._

The Rider subsided, biding its time.

Robbie walked beside Trip as they made their way to a side door of the Hartlife building, one that was mostly used to take trash out from. The dumpster back there stank. It was a far cry from the soaring entrance with a fountain that people coming in the front door saw.

“You’re up,” Robbie said, giving Trip a push towards the door and its card activated lock.

Looking grim, Trip waved the card by it. There was a click as the door opened. “We’re in,” Trip said, smiling widely.

Robbie brushed by him, half expecting some kind of security to be waiting for them, but the hallway was empty. He didn’t relax. “What are we looking for?” he asked Trip as they walked down the hallway.

“Anything suspicious.”

“Thanks, I’ll cross lawful activity off my list.”

Trip paused at the end of the hallway. “Look, I don’t know what exactly it is we’re trying to find. It’s not like I think they have a room marked ‘bad stuff here’, I’m just guessing not everything happening in this building is on the up and up. What I really want to know is why my clinic?”

“Money?”

“In that part of Queens?”

“Fair.” Robbie pushed open the door to a staircase and motioned Trip inside. The stairs led down and up, and nothing was marked.

“What do you think?”

Robbie closed his eyes. The Rider wanted to go descend, that’s where the evidence they need was, not in some executive’s office. “Down. We know what’s up. Nice chairs and expensive desks, down is where the shit will be.”

Their feet didn’t make much noise on the concrete steps. The walls were a dull beige, an appropriate color to descended into corporate hell with. They paused at the first door while Trip glanced through the window. He shook his head. “Looks like maintenance.” They continued down. “Anything new with you?” Trip asked.

“I think I have a girlfriend.” Robbie wasn’t certain, but two kisses and the warmth he felt at even the thought of Daisy were big hints.

Trip patted his shoulder. “I hope you mean Dais.”

“Who the fuck else would I mean?” Robbie snapped back.

“Whoa.” Trip held his hands up. “That response alone lets me know you think she is.”

“I like her,” Robbie grumbled.

“I think she likes you too.”

Robbie pursed his lips. “You two were a thing. Does that make it weird, her being with me?”

“Are you asking if I lured you into this building to kill you?” Trip’s wide grin let Robbie know the guy was teasing. He hoped. “And it’s not weird. We were only together for a few weeks, and it wasn’t much together-together. She’s cool. I like her as a friend, and maybe now we can hang out more. I knew she was broke as hell and avoiding me.”

“And you got her a job.”

“Damn straight I did. I also wanted her to meet you all, my family.”

Robbie stopped walking, both because of what Trip said and because a weird blue light was coming through the window of the door for the floor they’d just reached. Everything felt wrong. “I think this floor.”

Trip peeked through the window. “Yeah, it looks like labs.”

The door unlocked with the card Trip had, and they silently crept into the hallway. Everything looked and smelled spotless in the laboratory spaces they passed, with their fume hoods and arrays of equipment that Robbie couldn’t identify.

He and Trip froze as voices and laughter echoed from around the corner of the hall they were in, and they rushed into one of the labs, ducking behind the counter.

Robbie lifted his head enough to see a security guard walking with a couple of people in lab coats before ducking down again. He hardly dared breathe, even after the conversation between the three about an upcoming company event that was too high class for any of them to be invited to had faded into the distance.

Trip looked shaken, and Robbie grabbed the front of his shirt to help him to his feet. “Let’s keep looking.”

Trip nodded and headed for a door that didn’t lead back to the main hallway. It opened onto a warren of interconnected offices, which Robbie assumed belonged to the scientists who worked in the labs.

There were tacked up pictures of families and calendars that had scenes of exotic beaches or cars, and a lot of locked drawers and file cabinets. Everything was so neat and tidy it was exhausting. They moved through the rooms, trying every possible handle. All were locked.

It seemed hopeless until Robbie rounded a corner with Trip, and they spotted a messy desk.

Finally. It was nice proof that not everyone who worked here was a robot.

Robbie picked up an empty candy wrapper and frowned, then dropped it with a yip as his phone rang. He grabbed it. Daisy’s number and picture filled the screen. “Hello?” he answered.

“Hi! Just me. Whatcha’ doing?”

“Oh, uh.” He looked around the office. “Nothing. Hanging out with Trip.”

Trip made a face.

“Trip?” Daisy asked.

Trip made a ‘give me’ motion at the phone and Robbie passed it to him. “Hey, girl,” Trip said into the phone, and Robbie went back to poking through the mess on the desk. There were trash and files. He opened one, but it looked like a patent application. The next two were equally useless. “I’m just hanging with my man, Robbie,” Trip was saying. “We’re chillin’ and knocking a few back.” Robbie couldn’t hear Daisy’s reply. “Cool, cool,” Trip continued. “I have a question for you. Is Robbie your boyfriend?”

Robbie spun around so fast he knocked something off the desk. Trip was grinning. “What’d she say?” Robbie hissed. Trip held out up a finger in a wait-a-minute gesture. Robbie retrieved the file he’d accidently sent to the floor, and as he tidied the wayward papers together, an address caught his eye. It was for Trip’s clinic.

Trip laughed. “Yeah, Robbie’s in like with you too, which makes you two boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Robbie yipped and looked up. Trip looked completely relaxed and was smiling. All the nervousness and tension at what he and Robbie were doing was gone. Robbie winced. He had the suspicion that infiltrating-on-enemy-territory Robbie and having-a-coffee-with-Daisy Robbie weren’t all that different. He didn’t have a ‘cool’ setting.

He shoved the file in his hands at Trip and grabbed his phone back. “Hi,” Robbie said.

“Hey,” Daisy’s voice was sweet. “I called because I’m missing you. Um…missing my boyfriend.”

Robbie’s entire body lit up. “I’m missing you. Can we hang together soon? Friday night? Gabe has a thing, and Eli volunteered to take him, so I’m free.”

“Yeah, yes, totally!” The enthusiasm in her voice was infectious.

“Maybe we could just stay in, your place? Have dinner?”

“I’d like that.” She sounded almost breathy, and Trip was staring at him. “Do you work tomorrow?” Robbie asked.

“No, but I was going to walk over and bring you coffee with Jemma anyway.”

Robbie didn’t have the words to explain how much that meant to him. “Okay, I’ll see you then.” He ended the call.

“Damn,” Trip said.

“What?”

“You basically asked her to hump you.”

Robbie tried to figure that one out as he put his phone away, now safely silenced.

Trip sighed, probably at his puzzled expression. “Can we stay at your place?” Trip said.

“Oh.” Robbie mentally kicked himself, and the Rider helped him do it. “The file?” He did not want to think about how Daisy had practically said yes.

“We’re taking it. I think it’s a further explanation of the experiments Hartlife is conducting that May’s sources caught wind of. I understand some of it, but there are designs in here. I’m going to ask Jemma and Fitz to look at it.”

Robbie nodded, he’d read the file he and Daisy had been given by Hunter. There wasn’t much, but it did hint something was going on that was immoral as well as illegal. This information might be the next puzzle piece.

They made their way back to the main hallway, Trip cradling the file against him. Halfway to the stairs, there was a rush of feet behind them.

“Stop!” a man growled. Robbie spun to see it was the security guard from earlier. He had a gun pointed towards Robbie and Trip. Robbie pushed Trip into an empty lab and followed. A bullet smacked into the floor as they hid behind the lab’s central workstation.

“Trip,” Robbie said, feeling the pull of the Rider. The security guard was no innocent. “Stay down.”

He stood, and the fire had consumed him by the time he was around the bench. It felt good. The security guard emptied his clip, but the Rider barely felt it. Reaching the man, who was fumbling for his radio, having apparently just remembered it existed­—training must not be a high priority around here—the Rider grabbed him. The man’s eyes reflected the flame’s light. The list of sins made Robbie sick, and as the man burned to nothing, Robbie hoped the guy’s wife would throw a party when he never came home.

Having done its job, the Rider receded.

“What the fuck?” Trip asked.

“I told you to stay down,” Robbie said, hanging his head. He didn’t know if he was glad someone else now knew, or if it would spell his doom.

“Yeah, you were on fire. Skull. Fire. Whoosh.”

Robbie turned towards Trip. “Um, you’re familiar with the Avengers?”

“As in I’ve seen them on television.” Trip still clutched the file, but his eyes were wide.

“It’s like that. Only I’m possessed by a vengeance demon. Trust me, this guy deserved worse than what happened.”

Trip nodded. “That explains a few things.”

“I’m still me. I just got to stay alive…the accident­—”

Trip walked towards him. “As I said, it explains a few things. Like how you survived.”

“I didn’t.”

“Are you going to tell Daisy?” Trip was staring him down, and Robbie had to look away.

“Yeah, soon. I promise.”

“Right. Are you sure you’re not evil?”

Robbie's shoulders squared. “I’m the same person, so yeah, not evil.”

He marched down the hall to the stairs, Trip trotting along beside him. “That was pretty cool. Real hard rock with the flaming skull.”

“I’m sure the Ghost Rider picked it for the coolness factor.”

“Ghost Rider? I’ve heard of…really?”

“Yes. Now let’s go before we have any more security issues.”

They hurried up the steps and back into the night. When they reached the motorcycle, Robbie got on and revved the engine. Trip put a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, man. I didn’t know the risk you were running coming with me tonight. I think we got answers.”

“It was too easy,” Robbie said. Either someone was getting fired for incompetence, or Hartlife didn’t mind Trip and him poking around, which was a terrifying thought. “Let’s go.”

Trip mounted the bike and hung onto Robbie again. The engine whined as he punched the throttle, taking off into the night.

The Rider hovered around the edges of his mind. Something was rotten at Hartlife. That was old news, but his gut told him this wasn’t the usual sort of corporate greed.

The wind whipped around him and Trip as he Robbie roared towards the bridge out of Manhattan.

If the place was half as evil as the Rider believed it to be, the entire building needed to be ripped apart, atom by atom, and those responsible needed to pay.  


	9. You Know It

The ding of the cash register and ping of the bell on the door were starting to blend in Daisy’s brain as the morning rush hit its stride. Lattes, mochas, drip coffee, cream, soy, one pump or two. Working at a coffee shop meant that the air was permeated with the scent of the stuff, and it did seem to make her move faster.

Caffeine inhalers should totally be a thing.

The next woman in line, with her grey hair in a tight bun and a wealth of lines on her face, frowned at Daisy and gave her order in rapid-fire Chinese. To Daisy’s surprise, she understood it, or at least the part that was just about coffee. There was some other commentary that she wasn’t sure she wanted to understand.

“That’ll be three-fifty,” she said. The woman rattled off the number in Mandarin, and Daisy repeated it. Apparently satisfied, the woman handed over her money and moved to the side. Daisy smiled to herself. It was only coffee and numbers, but she was learning. It felt like a connection to her parents, or at least the one that was Chinese. She didn’t know if it was her mother or father, but she hoped they would be proud if they knew. Wherever they were. ,

She rang up three more customers before Robbie walked in, his head bowed, and his hands shoved in his pockets. He did manage to look up and almost smile when he reached the till. It gave Daisy a moment of vertigo because all that handsome was her boyfriend. Who’d practically invited himself into her bed.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hey, the usual?”

He nodded and handed over his change, his fingers lingering on her wrist. “Can we talk?”

She glanced around the busy store and raised a brow.

The man behind Robbie shouldered him out of the way, and Robbie glared up at her customer. “Decaf soy latte with an extra shot and cream,” the customer barked. Daisy dutifully punched it in and bit her tongue to keep from pointing out that cream wasn’t soy, because she’d found people did not want you to question their orders. The man paid and moved over, and a few people left after Davis called out their drinks, but new people immediately took their place.

“Daisy,” Robbie said as he jerked his thumb at the tall customer that was glowering near the pickup counter. “Soy and—”

“I know,” she interrupted.

The women now in front of Daisy was middle-aged, blonde, and dressed in a sharp pantsuit. She glanced at Robbie and frowned, then leaned closer to Daisy. “Is he safe? To be in here, I mean.”

Daisy felt her nose wrinkle. “He’s my boyfriend, so yeah.”

The woman looked down her nose at Daisy. “Large nonfat latte with two-percent foam.”

“Sure,” Daisy said, ringing her order up. Once she’d paid, she hastily moved to the far end of the store from Daisy and Robbie.

Daisy rolled her eyes.

“Can we—” Robbie was interrupted by the bell over the door chiming.

“Let’s wait until this afternoon, okay? I’m kind of busy, and there are no breaks right now.”

Robbie nodded, and Davis appeared beside her, holding out a coffee cup to Robbie.

“Thanks,” Robbie said. “And, Daisy, see you in a bit.”

“I’ll be there!”

Robbie gave a little wave, and his smile reached his eyes this time before he turned and left the shop.

Daisy immediately had to go back to taking orders, but that smile stayed with her. It woke her up and made her warmer than a shot of espresso.

****

The rest of the morning flew past for Daisy. Things slowed down a tad after the morning rush, but not by much. It’d been an exhausting day so far, and she was ready to ask Davis to prop her upright by the time Jemma breezed into the shop for afternoon coffee.

Daisy was insanely glad to see her.

“I’ll get it made,” Davis said. “You can carry.”

Daisy didn’t point out that she always did that, too grateful that Davis was willing to make their usual order without complaining. She leaned against the counter.

Jemma was as bright-eyed and perky as ever. “How’s it going?” she asked.

“Busy,” Daisy said. “But not bad. I am super glad it’s break time.” She glanced over Jemma’s outfit. Her blouse dipped down much lower in the front than usual, and she had a skirt and heels on. “You’re dressed up.”

Jemma flushed. “Well—”

“Oh my god, did Fitz ask you out?”

Jemma’s chin came up. “I’m asking him out.”

“Good for you.”

Davis handed a drink carrier to Daisy and one to Jemma, and Daisy came out from behind the counter.

Outside, Jemma immediately changed the subject. “How are you and Robbie?”

“Good, he’s officially my boyfriend now.”

“You’ve told me that five times already,” Jemma said with a laugh.

Daisy grinned. The busy street, with its myriad of cars, neon signs, and bike messengers, seemed so much less grungy than a week ago. It was still chilly, but the sun on her skin held some warmth. The entire world was brighter. She turned to Jemma before they walked into the garage. “You have to do it, now.”

“Now-now?” Jemma’s face paled.

“Yes, the world needs you two to be together. I promise everything is better that way.”

“I thought it was misery that loved company?”

Daisy walked into the garage, her steps echoing on the concrete. “And joy.”

The door shut behind her, and Jemma took Mack his drink before beelining towards Fitz, who looked up at her from the engine he was bending over with an almost worshipful expression. His eyes flicked down to her cleavage and then back up. Daisy giggled. It was good to know Jemma’s blouse was working exactly as planned.

Coulson appeared and grabbed his white-chocolate mocha, and she felt a tiny bit guilty about letting Davis make it, but really, she didn’t think it tasted any different when she did it. He’d probably never know.

Daisy picked her way past a disassembled engine to where Robbie was under a car. His overalls were around his waist, and his black tee was rucked up, letting her get a look at his abs. They should really be illegal. If she saw them while driving, she’d be in a ditch in two seconds.

Her mouth watered and she took a drink of her coffee. Which tasted gross…oh, wait, that was Robbie’s. She sipped her mocha, then lightly kicked Robbie’s leg. He grunted. “C’mon, it can wait, coffee time.”

Robbie said something in Spanish that even she knew, and that Daisy hoped was directed at the car. Her boyfriend pushed himself out from under the vehicle and smiled at her. “You sure you don’t want to join me down here?”

“Do you kiss your brother with that mouth?”

“Gabe has heard much, much worse. What kind of big brother would be if I didn’t teach him how to cuss?” He sat up and propped his back against the car, and she gave in and sat down cross-legged beside him. The cool air in the garage smelled of oil, and Robbie had plenty on his hands. He at least wiped them on a rag before taking his cup. “There’s lipstick on the lid,” he said, looking down.

“Guilty, but it’s your fault.”

“Me?”

“I was looking at you and drank the wrong one.”

Robbie didn’t say anything, but he looked smug. She leaned her head against his shoulder as he sipped his coffee.

“Is Eli still taking Gabe to whatever this weekend?”

“Yeah, they’re leaving right around the time I get off work. It’s some big science thing, and Eli gets credit with his company for helping out. I guess they have a public service quota.”

“Doesn’t it sort of take away from the point if it’s mandatory?”

Robbie laughed. “You’d think so, but it’s just a checkmark in a box for the administration so that they can talk about service hours or something. I’m certain it doesn’t have much to do with actually helping people.”

“Stupid.” She sat back up and took a long drink of her mocha before it got too cold. “What did you want to tell me this morning?”

“Not important,” he said quickly. “I’ll tell you later. Are we still on for tonight?”

“Seven? Meet at my place? Maybe get some dinner?”

“Great.” He kissed her on the cheek, and her toes curled.

A loud clatter from the far side of the garage had both her and Robbie rocketing to their feet.

Fitz, face red, was climbing back to his feet while Jemma fussed over him. He’d obviously fallen against the makeshift table where he’d had parts of a car’s stereo system pulled out. One side had collapsed and dumped the pieces everywhere.

“Is he okay?” Coulson asked, turning up beside Daisy. Jemma had her hand on Fitz’s cheek, which was still flushed.

“I think so,” Daisy said, taking a drink. “Jemma probably just asked him out.”

“About time,” Robbie said.

Coulson pursed his lips. “That would explain the blouse and heels.”

“I think she could have worn a full suit of armor and he still would be just as thrilled.” Daisy smiled as Fitz nodded enthusiastically. “And that looks like a yes.”

“Mack’s going to be so surprised when he gets back from seeing Elena,” Robbie said. “I call dibs on telling him.”

Coulson looked up from the phone that’d appeared in his hand. “Too late.”

“Damn it.” Robbie huffed. Her heart warmed, they were all such a family, and she knew it was special that she was being welcomed in as part of it.

“Hey, Daisy,” Coulson said, and she turned towards him. “Next time can you make my drink? This one tastes off.”

****

The apartment was spotless. One of the perks of not having much space was that it was an easy clean. She tended towards clutter if she wasn’t careful, but not having much money meant that she wasn’t prone to buying much that would take up room.

There was a knock at the door, and Daisy hoped that the cleaning, shaving, and styling she’d done on herself were as appreciated as a swept floor. Or more appreciated, not a lot of guys noticed when the floor had been made to sparkle. At least Robbie should enjoy her hardwood floors. She giggled to herself.

Daisy opened the door to find a jittery-looking Robbie in the hallway, clutching a bouquet of roses and a plastic bag.

“Here,” he said, thrusting them at her.

“Hi, Robbie,” she said with a laugh. It made her relax to see him so nervous, as if knowing she wasn’t alone in her worry relieved her of it. She took the flowers and ushered him in. “It’s good to see you.”

“For the third time today,” he mumbled, though it was a happy-sounding mumble.

Daisy leaned close to him and inhaled. “But you didn’t smell nearly so good those other times.”

“Oh.” His eyes darted up to the corner of the room.

Daisy smiled to herself as she went to put the roses in her only vase. There were a dozen, and they were all a beautiful blood-red color, the heads just starting to open. “Thank you, they’re gorgeous,” she said as she arranged the vase on her table. “Bring anything else interesting?”

“Dinner.” He lifted the bag. It was full of Chinese take-out cartons which made her mouth water.

“You are the best man ever.” Daisy had a few things to make, like mac and cheese, and had hoped that maybe they could order in. This was even better.

Robbie shifted his weight and looked thoroughly embarrassed. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, but now we eat. Let me get a plate and some forks. Put all those on the coffee table, and we’ll graze.”

Robbie did as she asked and she carried over plates and silverware. The food smelled even better than Robbie.

They sat on the couch, and Daisy started by dumping fried rice on her plate. Robbie went for the Lo Mein.

After a few moments of hungry chewing, he set his fork down and turned towards her. “I broke into Hartlife with Trip the other day.”

“What?” She paused with her fork halfway to her mouth.

“I already told May, but I don’t want to keep secrets from you if I don’t have to. She’s going over what we found and is going to let Fitz and Jemma have a look at it when she’s done. It’s something fishy.”

Daisy ate her bite of rice and thought while she chewed. “And Hartlife was just like: cool, take our crap, see if we care?”

“We had a stolen keycard, and we were careful,” Robbie said, his eyes on his boots as he chewed.

Was he for real? “Right, careful, at the possibly evil headquarters of Company Bad News.”

“Nothing happened.”

Daisy sighed as she went after the orange chicken. “Yet.”

“They’re security wasn’t that great. Stop worrying.”

“As if I’m going to ever stop worrying about my boyfriend.”

Robbie ducked his head, then gave her a shy smile. It completely disarmed her. She still didn’t believe Hartlife would just roll over and play dead, but she didn’t want to argue about it anymore. “I like hearing you say that, girlfriend,” Robbie rumbled.

She squeezed her knees together. It wasn’t fair that he sounded that sexy during dinner. She was going to get wet while eating beef and broccoli. “Gabe and Eli get off okay?” she asked to change the subject. Her voice sounded a little squeaky. Ugh.  

Robbie nodded while shoveling food into his mouth. “Yeah,” he said after swallowing. “Gabe is so excited.”

“That’s so cool. You have to share any pictures he sends.”

Robbie bumped her knee with his. “You got it.”

After they had both stuffed themselves, Robbie insisted on doing the dishes. She protested for two seconds, then settled back on the couch to watch his ass while he made quick work of their plates and forks.

He returned, and she made room for him but put her feet in his lap when he sat down.

Robbie immediately started rubbing them. “Are you an angel?” she gasped as he worked on her instep. He was very good at this. Her pussy pulsed in encouragement of him putting his fingers to work somewhere besides her feet.

He chuckled. “Hardly.” His eyes were burning as they met hers, full of what Daisy hoped was lust. His fingers moved from her foot to her ankle, and he glided them gently over that part of her. A bolt of desire shot up her leg and exploded between her thighs.

How could he do that with the barest touch of his skin against hers?

As if reading her mind, he lifted her leg and pressed a kiss to her ankle, right over the point of the bone. Daisy moaned and melted against the couch.

“Chica,” Robbie whispered, his breath warm against her as he spoke. It almost tickled. “Can I touch you?”

It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever asked her. “Yes, Robbie.” She smiled. “Are you going to show me how bad you can be?”

Robbie chuckled, but there was a hint of sadness about it as he set her leg down and crawled until he was hovering over her on the couch, his arms braced beside her head and his knees between hers.

He nuzzled her check. “Not quite.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With Weekend Warriors finishing up (SOB) (MORE SOB) I'll be taking this story weekly! (starting now!) :-D


	10. Sugar, Sugar

Beneath Robbie, Daisy moaned and lifted her hips. He pressed his mouth roughly against hers, and if he didn’t stop this was only going to end one way.

The Rider laughed.

 _Go away_ , Robbie thought. Though the Rider making its presence known was like a bucket of cold water over his head. He knew he shouldn’t be messing around with someone as sweet as Daisy. What would she do when she found out he was more than a car mechanic?

More than human?

He braced his hands on the couch, meaning to push away from her.

“Robbie,” Daisy whispered, opening her eyes as his lips left hers.

The Rider balked, and Robbie’s back spasmed. He ended flopping on top of Daisy, making her giggle. The Rider was abruptly absent when Robbie tried mentally poking at it. With a sigh, he managed to push himself up on his hands again. It was very close to a ringing endorsement of Daisy by the Rider.

Daisy kissed the corner of his mouth, and he turned his head to meet her lips. She tasted like life, and he knew he didn’t belong with her. One time. He’d…one time to be with her. A single moment of joy. Surely, even a demon was allowed that. He still had a beating heart, was still at least partly human.

She’d leave him when she discovered what he was.

His heart clenched.

Already missing her, his tongue hungrily sought entrance to her mouth. Daisy welcomed him in, and he settled between her thighs. She was his girlfriend for at least a little while. It was alright to be with her. She cared about him, and he cared about her. Making love to her was a way to ensure she always remembered something good about him.

Daisy tugged at his shirt, and he reluctantly broke the kiss to pull it off. Immediately, her palms went to his chest, and she moaned. Her fingers were warm and her eyes enchanted as her fingers explored him. When she started down towards his jeans, Robbie grabbed her wrist. “You still have your shirt on,” he said, trying to sound calmer than he was.

Daisy glanced down and laughed. She pushed him back and sat up so she could get her top off. Her black, lacy bra was a treat in itself, as was the way her breasts were framed, and her nipples poking at the fabric. As she put her hands behind her back to undo the clasp, he bent down and grabbed one breast, squeezing as he sucked at the jewel of her nipple through the fabric.

“Holy shit, Robbie,” Daisy groaned, her fingers threading into his hair. He grinned against her breast. It seemed she didn’t want him to go anywhere too quickly. Finding it undone, he slipped her bra off her arms to reveal her dark nipples. He silently promised he wouldn’t neglect either one of them, and cupped one side while he teased the other with his tongue and teeth.

Daisy made the most incredible noises. Fuck, she was sexy.

Any sense of restraint he’d had was long gone. He grabbed a belt loop on her jeans and pulled her along with him as he stood. “Bed,” he whispered in her ear as he popped the snap of her jeans and undid the zipper. He pushed a finger down far enough to rub her clit through her panties, which felt like they were lace as well. The crotch of her underwear was already damp for him. “Off,” he said louder when he released her.

Daisy hastily stripped her jeans, then her panties. His cock throbbed.

She walked to the mattress on the floor, hips swaying, and he was mesmerized by the sight of her ass. It was the perfect shape for his palm. Grinning, she kneeled on the bed and crooked a finger at him.

Robbie tilted his head. “Ready?” he purred.

Daisy stroked a hand down her belly and fingered herself. “Think so, but you’re overdressed.”

Her eyes were on his groin as he undid the button on his jeans. He pushed them and his boxers down a little, and Daisy bit her lip and her knees spread further apart.

He remembered to grab a condom from his back pocket, then quickly pushed his clothes all the way off, and walked towards her, his cock leading the way.

Daisy left little doubt that she liked what she saw. Her eyes full of lust, and maybe something else he desperately needed to pretend didn’t exist between them. Stepping on the bed, Robbie quickly went to his knees as well. Daisy’s hand moved like she was thinking of grabbing his cock, and if she’d put the head between her lips, then this whole thing would be over much more quickly than he wanted it to be.

He dropped the condom beside them and put an arm around her to draw her close. Her front pushed against his front, trapping his cock between them. Their mouths met, and Robbie cradled her head in his hands.

 Daisy ran her fingers down his back and grabbed his ass. She made a pleased sound as she gripped it. Her fingertips dug in, and he growled.

His palms traced down her sides to her hips, and Robbie held her steady as he thrust against her belly.

She moaned, and their kiss became sloppy, their mouths grinding together like the rest of them.

Fuck, once?

One time with her would never be enough. A lifetime wouldn’t be enough.

“Daisy,” he rasped, his head bowing as he kissed her neck. Her hands left his rear and grabbed his shoulders instead, tugging at him. He let go of her, and she tilted back, landing prone with her thighs spread on either side of him. Her pussy was coated with her slickness and begging for his cock if he could ever tear his eyes away from its perfection.

Something hit him in the chest and fell to the bed while Daisy giggled. He snatched up the condom she’d tossed at him.

“What was that for?” he asked, ripped the package open.

Daisy had a hand over her mouth as if she was trying to hold in her laughter. “You didn’t hear me the first three times I said your name.”

“Oh.” He rolled the condom over his length. “Every part of you is gorgeous, Daisy. Your smile, how you care for people, how funny you are, your pussy, and even your laugh, but I’m about to get rid of those giggles.”

Her brow went up. “And how are you going to do that?”

“It’s going to be hard to laugh when you’re screaming my name.”

“Robbie,” she said, her hand back over her mouth while her shoulders shook with mirth. He fitted himself over her, one hand around his cock to position it against her opening. She was hot, on fire because of what he was doing to her.

Her hand cupped his cheek. “You can fuck me now, stud.” She laughed again, and he rolled his eyes before thrusting roughly forward.

Daisy’s giggling stopped immediately as her hips rose and she took him in. Her eyes fluttered closed. “Oh, yes,” she whispered, her hands scrabbling at his back. “Yes.”

It was as if he’d waited his entire life for this moment. She felt like heaven as she moved against and around him. His Daisy. He thanked the Rider for giving him a chance to meet her, to be with her. Even if it was also what would eventually tear them apart, if he hadn’t made a bargain to contain the Rider, he’d have never known this bliss. It was the first time the deal had brought him something instead of it being all for others.

Robbie pressed his face to Daisy’s neck as he thrust wildly into her. She didn’t seem to mind his lack of finesse. He nipped at her skin, tasting the salt from the faint sheen of sweat that was making her skin glisten.  A climax was building inside him, curling through his belly. He had to sit back on his heels, though then he was looking down at Daisy’s body, her hands curling into the sheets under her as her hips kept pace with his and her breasts jiggled every time they collided.

He pressed a thumb to her clit, needing her pleasure as much as his own.

Daisy moaned, and her inner walls tightened around him. “Robbie,” she muttered. “Please, don’t stop, Robbie.”

Hell would freeze over before he stopped.

Daisy’s legs shook, and her hips jerked as she peaked with a soft cry. It was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. His hand stroked her belly, but he couldn’t stop his body’s mad rush towards its peak.

He gripped her legs under her knees, pressing them back and further apart. Daisy opened for him, her face soft as a tiny smile turned the corners of her mouth up.

His hips stuttered, and he groaned as the need to come took him over. A handful more of hard, deep strokes and ecstasy flooded through him. “Daisy,” he barked as he emptied himself into her. He collapsed, panting, on top of her. The orgasm left him trembling in his wake, and he hung onto Daisy as if she could keep him grounded.

Her hand gently glided up and down his back, and she made soothing sounds.

When his limbs would cooperate, he anchored the condom and pulled out, making them both grunt. “I’ll be right back,” he said, pressing a kiss to her temple. Daisy nodded and settled back against the mattress. In her tiny bathroom, he tied a knot in the condom and wrapped it in toilet paper before dumping it in a trashcan. As he wet a washcloth with warm water, he caught sight of himself in the mirror and had to chuckle. His hair was in disarray and his eyelids heavy. He looked very thoroughly fucked. Which he was, in all kinds of ways.

He returned to Daisy, finding her exactly as he left her. He thought she was asleep until she popped an eye open. Carefully, he cleaned her, making her sigh, and helped her under the covers before he went to toss the rag back in the sink. He pulled on his boxers and lay down beside her.

She cuddled against him. “That was nice,” she said, resting a hand on his chest.

“It was.”

“Are you staying?”

Surprise and hurt bloomed inside him. “Do you not want me to?”

“Of course I want you to.” Her indignation was palpable, and he smirked as his doubts fled. “I was giving you an out if you wanted to run off.”

“I’d never run from you.” He shifted and turned to face her. “You’re one in ten million, Daisy. I feel honored that you want to be around me. That you want to touch me. I don’t deserve you.”

She snorted. “If only I could find a casting director that felt the same way.”

“Have you auditioned for anything lately?” He wanted to tell her she was special to him over and over but didn’t want to push.

Daisy shook her head. “I’d have to work less or quit May’s, and for some reason, I don’t want to do that.”

“Don’t mess up your career for me.”

She snorted. “I never had an acting career. Working at May’s is the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I think I’ll be okay there for a while.”

He smiled and traced her lips with one finger. “You, me, and Gabe should—” He was cut off by a timid knock on her door. “Who’s that?”

Daisy grimaced. “My neighbor. She’s elderly and has a cat. The cat gets out, she chases after it, and she locks herself out. I have a spare key to let her back in.” She scrambled over him and got up, pausing to put on her shirt and jeans. The knock sounded again. “I’m coming!” Daisy called. Robbie sat up to watch her. She grabbed the spare key and opened the door. “What the fuck?” It was followed by a scream.

He launched himself upright but was too late. A dark figure outside the apartment pushed Daisy back, making her stumble. Something shattered at her feet, and the door slammed closed.

Robbie was across the room in seconds, the Rider roaring to life inside him.

Daisy was whimpering as blue mist surrounded her. The Rider took over Robbie’s limbs, forcing him back from her. The mist was freezing against his skin, but the Rider’s heat dissipated it. Daisy wasn’t as lucky. Dark rock flowed over her body, her frightened eyes disappearing beneath the shell.

His breathing was loud in the otherwise eerily silent apartment. His heart hammered. “Daisy?” he asked. There was no answer.

Not knowing what else to do, he put on his jeans, shirt, jacket, and boots. The Rider buzzed inside him, the need to kill almost overwhelming. He had to get whoever had done this to her. Had to end them. Daisy was blocking the door. Or the thing that had been Daisy. If she were dead, legions would fall.

He reached for her, then jumped back as a sharp cracking noise echoed through the apartment.

The shell around Daisy crumbled to dust. Robbie caught her as she started to fall. She was gasping in deep breaths, her eyes unfocused. The floor rumbled under his feet, and he staggered to keep himself and her upright.

“Daisy?” he whispered, holding her against him.

“Robbie?” she croaked. The rumbling intensified, and a pan fell from its hook to clatter on the floor.

“It’s me. I’m here.”

The quaking stopped. “I feel--” She winced. “Buzzing.” Her eyes, wide with fear, met his. “Help.”

Robbie carried her to the couch and sat down. “It’s going to be alright,” he said, though he had no idea if that was true or not. “I’m going to get help.” He reached for his cell phone, and another small quake rumbled through the room. Next door, someone yelled. He dialed Trip.

“Hey, what’s up?” Trip asked, answering on the third ring. There were the muffled sounds of a night club in the background.

“It’s Daisy. I think someone tried to kill Daisy.”

“Is she okay?”

“I don’t know.” Robbie tightened his arm around her. “Can you meet us at the garage in ten?”

“Yeah.” The line went dead, and Robbie frowned.

He stood, scooping Daisy up bridal style. “You’re going to be okay,” he told her, heading towards the door and the parking lot. “I’m going to make it okay.”

As he exited the building, an SUV with dark windows squealed its tires as it pulled out into traffic. Robbie glared after it. He memorized the plate number, though he doubted it’d tell him anything.

It didn’t matter. Robbie was going to find the person responsible for hurting Daisy and make sure that they could never hurt anyone ever again. He had a good idea where to start looking.


	11. Cherry Bomb

Daisy’s head bounced against the window of Robbie’s car as he took a speedbump too fast.

The world didn’t make sense anymore. Everything hummed and it felt like an entire hive of bees was inside her, buzzing away. She pushed at her chest, but it didn’t stop. The glass hummed against her temple, echoes of the engine’s vibrations.

Robbie’s heart was beating fast, the thrum of his pulse a wild, living thing to her. Thunder peeled, the deep echo rolling through her like a gunshot. The clouds opened up, and rain poured down. Every drop that hit the windshield, roof, or hood of the car pinged inside her as well.

“Almost there, Daisy,” he said. She whimpered, putting her hands over her ears, but it didn’t help. They pulled into the garage’s small lot, and Robbie jumped out. He helped her out of the car, and she stood transfixed as raindrops sizzled against his skin, disappearing into vapor.

He put an arm around her, but she pulled away, trying to make it to the garage door on her own. There was a light on inside, the warm glow promising relief from the overwhelming sound and feel of the rain. Beneath her feet, the ground heaved, and Robbie’s strong hands caught her hips.

“Is that me?” she whispered. Her feet were splayed, and water ran down her spine in a cold rivulet.

“Maybe,” he grunted, pushing her towards the door. He kept a hand on her as he opened the lock and steered her inside.

She stopped after a step and Robbie ran into her back.

They weren’t alone.  

Sprawled out over the hood of the closest car was Fitz, his coveralls down around his ankles and his shirt missing, though he did still have jeans on, thankfully. His face was currently smushed into Jemma’s boobs as she straddled him. Jemma’s shirt was also missing, though she had her skirt, bra, and heels on. They were grinding together very enthusiastically and making a lot of noise.

Daisy glanced at Robbie. His mouth was hanging open. Really? Because Jemma and Fitz getting it on was the weirdest thing to happen that night?

“Hey, guys,” she said, very loudly. Things shook, and a wrench clattered to the floor.

Jemma and Fitz both popped up like startled meerkats.

“Piss off,” Fitz grumbled when he saw them. “We got here first.”

Jemma’s eyes were flicking between Daisy and Robbie. “What happened?”

“Um—” Daisy started, but Robbie cut her off by grabbing her elbow and dragging her across the floor towards Jemma.

“Trip’s on his way,” Robbie snapped. “There was a…thing. It broke. Daisy was covered in rock—”

“I got better,” Daisy said.

Robbie growled. “And now things shake. Something happened to her.”

Jemma kissed Fitz’s forehead and whispered, “Later.” She climbed off him, and Fitz yipped and rolled off the other side of the car, ducking down behind it with only his eyes peeking over. For a second Daisy thought he was scared of her, but then had to suppress a giggle because she figured out what he was probably trying to hide.

Jemma kicked off her heels. “Bloody hell that’s cold,” she grumbled as she walked across the concrete shop floor to her purse. From its depths, she pulled a black stethoscope. A shirt hit her as she returned to Daisy, and Jemma stopped to shrug it on. The white T-shirt was too big for her, and Daisy guessed it must be Fitz’s. “Robbie,” Jemma said softly. “Can you let go of Daisy? And Daisy, can you stand by yourself?”

“I think so?” She kept her balance as Robbie removed his hands. There was a knock at the door, followed by Trip letting himself in.

“Oh, good,” Jemma said. “You’ll only have to repeat your story once.”

Robbie brought a chair over for Daisy, and she thankfully sat down, even if its cleanliness was in question.

“Hey,” Trip said. “You call Jemma too?”

“I was already here,” she responded, putting the earpieces in and laying the round part of the stethoscope against Daisy’s chest. “Breathe in and out deeply, please.”

“Why were you at the garage?” Trip asked as Daisy did as she was told.

“Er, hi,” Fitz said. He was still mostly behind the car but had pulled his coveralls up.

Trip laughed and shook his head. “I should have known. And you look fine,” he said to Daisy.

“She sounds fine too.” Jemma draped the stethoscope around her neck. She peered into Daisy’s eyes with a penlight. “How do you feel?”

“Not great.” Daisy rubbed at her sternum. “There’s a buzzing, here.” The room shook for a second, and dust drifted down from the ceiling. “And that keeps happening.”

“I couldn’t hear anything abnormal,” Jemma said. “But I suggest good, calming, deep breaths, and for you to tell us what happened.”

Daisy did as asked, calling to mind some of her acting exercises and doing her best to focus on the here and now. The chair was hard under her rear. Her feet were flat on the floor. The room was a little chilly. Breathe in, hold, breathe out. “Okay,” she said after a few rounds, but then stopped and glanced at Robbie. He nodded. “Robbie and I were at my place. We’d had Chinese and were going to sleep when there was a knock at the door. It was a little knock, like my neighbor that keeps needing me to get her cat. I opened the door.”

“You should have let me,” Robbie said.

“The lady would have had a heart attack if you answered without a shirt on.”

Robbie sighed.

“I’m guessing it wasn’t your neighbor?” Trip said.

“Nope. Some guy dressed in black. Ski mask and everything, so all I know is that he’s taller than me.” Daisy paused. It’d happened fast. “I screamed.” She remembered that. “He was holding something…but…it gets confusing there.”

Everyone looked at Robbie. “It was a blue crystal,” he said quietly. “It shattered at Daisy’s feet, and there was a blue mist. The guy ran, and Daisy—” His face darkened.

“Go on,” Jemma said.

“You won’t believe me.”

Jemma frowned. “You said something about rock, and I promise we’ll believe you. Aliens attacked New York. I’m pretty much ready to believe anything at this point.”

“I need to know,” Daisy said.

Robbie knelt beside her chair and put a hand on her leg. He didn’t look at her as he spoke. “It was like dark rock, flowing over her, up her arms and legs, until it encased her completely. I didn’t know if she was still alive under there.”

“And this mist didn’t affect you?” Jemma asked.

Robbie’s breathing hitched and his fingers tightened for the briefest moment. Daisy could feel the beat of his heart speed up. “I guess not,” he said softly. Daisy was going to have to ask him what was going on later because he wasn’t telling the entire truth. Not by a long shot.

“Did you touch her?” Fitz asked, having finally come out from behind the car to stand beside Jemma.

“I started to,” Robbie said. “I wanted to see if she was alive, but the rock cracked open and then became dust before my eyes, and things started shaking. I called Trip and brought her here.” He grimaced. “There was an SUV that pulled away as I left the building. I have the license plate memorized if anyone has access to a way to run a search on it.”

Trip held up his phone. “I’m calling May. I’ll be right back. Nobody goes anywhere.” He walked towards one of the empty offices.

“Is this Hartlife?” Daisy asked no one in particular. The room was closing in around her. Goosebumps raised on her arms, and a tall tool storage cabinet rattled.

“I think so.” Robbie took her hand. “And they will die for it.” The coldness in his voice warmed her heart.

Jemma and Fitz had their heads together, whispering, then Fitz jogged towards the bank of lockers. “Fitz and I are going to review the file from Hartlife further,” Jemma said. “Fitz had forgotten it in his locker and, um, that’s what we actually stopped here for.” Spots of color appeared on her cheeks, and she spun to follow Fitz.

“Don’t leave,” Daisy said, closing her eyes and squeezing Robbie’s fingers. Being alone right now would leave her terrified. Whatever was happening to her, it wasn’t something she could face on her own.

“Never, mi cariña.” His thumb stroked her knuckles.

They didn’t move for long moments. Fitz and Jemma spread the papers from the file out on the floor while they bickered softly.

Trip returned. “She’ll be here in five,” he said. “You sure you’re feeling alright, Daisy?”

“I feel different, but not bad, exactly.”

“What about trying to shake something on purpose? See if it is you?” He grabbed a screwdriver from a workbench and set it on the floor in front of her.

Robbie glared at it. “You don’t need to do this.”

“I do.” Daisy shrugged. “I really do.” She’d learned to be controlled for the stage. This couldn’t be that different. Focusing on the screwdriver, she raised a hand so her palm was towards it, then breathed slowly as she directed the buzzing inside down her arm. Sharp pain lanced up her arm, but the screwdriver jittered on the concrete. “Ow,” she breathed.

“Wow.” Trip toed the screwdriver with one foot and moved in back in place. “You go girl.”

“It hurt.” Robbie wasn’t asking a question.

Trip frowned at her.

“A little, in my hand and wrist.” She looked away, only to find Fitz staring at her.

He said something to Jemma, then walked over. “What did the energy feel like, moving through your hand?”

“Vibrations. Like I was shaking apart.”

Fitz’s face was blank as he grabbed the fingers of the hand Robbie wasn’t currently crushing and lifted it, but his eyes were piercing, and Daisy could almost hear his brain working. He circled his fingers around her wrist and forearm, almost like he was taking measurements. Nodding sharply, he dropped her hand and headed towards his workstation in the garage, calling for Jemma.

May arrived a moment later, her calm face betraying nothing. “Report?” she asked. Trip quickly filled her in, and she nodded once when he was done. “I’m going to make a call that everyone needs to hear.” Once Jemma and Fitz joined them, May hit the call button and put the phone on speaker. “Hunter, it’s May. You’re on speaker.”

“What the bloody fuck did you do?” Daisy had trouble picturing him anywhere other than on the Empire State building. Which was absurd. It wasn’t like he lived there.

“What’s happening?” May asked.

“The lights in the Hartlife building lit up about ten minutes ago. I swear they got every single one on, and Bob’s counted at least twenty cars that’ve come in.”

Daisy was bewildered. May had the Hartlife building under surveillance? What the hell had she done before opening a coffee shop? She glanced at the faces of the others, but nobody else seemed surprised. “Is this about me?” Daisy asked in a small voice.

“What?” Hunter’s voice crackled through the phone.

“Someone attacked Daisy earlier this evening,” May said.

There were muffled noises from the phone, and a woman spoke up. “I don’t have many bugs in the place,” it said. “What I’ve heard so far is about finding someone in a black leather jacket with white markings. They didn’t get a look at his face, nor the guy with him.

Robbie let go of Daisy’s hand and stood, walking over to punch the wall.

“It was Robbie in the jacket,” May said to the woman.

“Alright, they found him on city surveillance, I think. That part wasn’t clear. But…” She hesitated.

May stared at the phone in her hand. “Say it.”

“I think that attack was supposed to kill whoever it targeted, and not dying is what has them in an uproar.”

Daisy dropped her face into her hands, and there was the sound of Robbie punching the wall again.

“Alright,” May said. “If you learn anything else, update me immediately.” There was a pause and a click as she ended the call. “Nobody is to have any contact with Hartlife without talking to this group first.”

“Sorry,” Trip mumbled.

“Robbie,” May said, tone sharp. Daisy looked up at him.

Robbie spun to face May and growled. “I can take care of myself, and Daisy.”

“Not the question I asked.”

“Alright. I agree.” His hands curled into fists.

The door to the garage rattled, and Robbie stepped in front of Daisy. She peeked around him as Phil walked in with a coffeemaker that took the little pods in his hands. “Sorry I’m late. I thought we would all need something to drink.”

“From that?” May said, pointing at the coffeemaker.

“It’s fast,” he said with a shrug and held up a box with a variety of drinks in it. “I got lots.”

May sighed but took the coffeemaker from him and carried it to the nearest bench to open. Phil followed her as she gave a quick rundown of everything that’d happened that evening. His face grew increasingly pinched as she spoke, and he gave a curt nod when she was done.

“Status report,” he said loudly as he walked to the middle of the room and crossed his arms.

“I’m working contacts, and making coffee,” May said.

Jemma looked up from the papers in her hand. “I believe that the crystals Daisy described are involved in what Hartlife wants my clinic for. I’m not quite clear on what they’re doing yet, but I’m working on the file.”

Coulson nodded. “Fitz?” he asked.

“I-I-I’m.” He stopped and took a breath. “I’m helping Daisy. Gloves to keep her from accidently hurting herself. There’s leftover neoprene from that one custom.” Daisy gaped at him, and he rubbed the back of his neck before returning to work.

“Trip?” Coulson fixed him with questioning eyes.

Trip retrieved the screwdriver from the floor. “Daisy and I are going to work on figuring out what she can do.”

Daisy hastily agreed. She hadn’t known what to do with herself, and having a purpose was a big relief.

“Keep us updated,” Coulson said. “And Robbie?”

“Security,” Robbie snapped, and Daisy wondered where the warm man from earlier in the night, the one who had laughed with her and made love to her like she was the most precious thing in the world. That Robbie had been replaced by this one who looked ready to rip apart the city if he had to.

Coulson didn’t seem convinced. “Security? How? You going to punch anyone that shows up?”

Trip snorted. “Might as well show them.”

“Show?” Daisy asked, standing. “Show what?”

Robbie shook his head. He glared at Trip and Daisy gasped. Robbie’s eyes were almost glowing.

Coulson put a hand on her arm. “I think this is something we need to know.”

Robbie backed up a few paces. “Fine.” His gaze, with its unearthly light, met hers. “I’m sorry,” he said raggedly. “Didn’t want to tell you like this, but keeping you safe is more important than anything.”

“Safe?” she whispered.

“Turn it on, torch boy,” Trip said grimly.

“I can keep you safe,” Robbie said.

Daisy covered her mouth. Tool chests rattled as fire licked up Robbie’s neck. The blaze grew until she was looking at nothing but a skull. It looked back at her.

She didn’t scream.

 


	12. Americano

The inside of the garage was completely silent, except for the faint sound of rain on the roof.

The Rider receded, and the flames disappeared. Robbie prepared himself for what revealing the demon inside him to everyone would mean. What revealing it to Daisy would mean.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his eyes to hers.

She had her arms crossed and was frowning. “That explains a few things.”

“I died, and made a bargain,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Well, you should be.”

“Does it hurt?” Jemma asked, marching towards him with her stethoscope in hand. Fitz’s mouth had dropped open and he was staring.  

Robbie shifted his weight. “Not really. Or maybe I’m just used to it.”

“May,” Phil said. “You don’t look that surprised.”

She raised a brow. “Is that better?” Phil studied her face intently and then nodded.

Robbie was surprised nobody was screaming or running away. “Daisy?” he asked, as Jemma set her stethoscope on his chest and frowned.

“I’m still figuring it out,” she said, sounding more tired than anything else.

“Does anyone else have superpowers?” Fitz asked loudly. “I’d like to know now.” Everyone shook their heads. “Great.” He turned back to his workbench.

Jemma continued to poke at Robbie “I heal fast,” he told her. “Warmer body temperature. I think that’s about it.”

She stepped back and crossed her arms. “The accident you had,” she said. “Can you fly? Anything like that?”

“I’d like to fly,” Daisy said. “So far I can just make stuff shake. It’s not very useful unless you need something knocked off a shelf from a couple of feet away.” She peered at her hand, flexing her fingers.

Daisy had to be in shock. She should be breaking up with him right now. Robbie was ready for it, but in ten minutes, he might not be. He looked into Jemma’s eager face. She seemed very excited to have two supernatural individuals to study. “No flying,” he said. “The Rider—I’m the Ghost Rider—judges, punishes, wants vengeance. I know too much about what evil lives inside people.”

He stepped away from Jemma, only to find that Daisy was crossing the room to him. “That sounds horrible,” she said, putting her arms around him. He stiffened, but then something broke deep inside him, and he hugged her back fiercely. “But you’re not alone now. I’m here. We’re here.”

“Are you mad at me?” he asked, needing to hear the answer, whatever it was.

“A little, mostly that you were worried I wouldn’t support you.” She loosened her hold enough to look around his side. “I’m madder at Trip, who apparently knew and didn’t tell me.”

“He only found out on the night we went to Hartlife,” Robbie said. He glanced at Trip, who was busy staring at the floor. “So don’t be too mad.” Robbie returned his gaze to her and stroked her hair. He dropped his voice. “Are we still together? I’d understand if…but please, let me keep you safe. I failed once. I won’t again.”

Daisy made a face. “I don’t know, Robbie.” His heart plummeted, but he forced his face not to show it. Daisy held up a hand. “I’m kind of my own vibrator now.”

“Uh—” He had no idea what to say, mostly because now his mind was preoccupied with the image of Daisy moaning with her hand between her legs. And now he knew exactly what those moans would sound like.

“Dork,” she said with a laugh. “Of course I want you around. What if I need to roast marshmallows?”

Robbie hugged her again. Her face tilted up and he kissed her, his hands clutching at her.

They only broke apart when Phil coughed. “I’m going to intrude here because I’m fairly certain I’ve heard of Ghost Rider before.”

“It was someone else before me,” Robbie replied. “And there’ll be someone else after.”

Daisy snorted. “I bet they won’t look nearly so badass in a leather jacket.” He touched her face. Nobody made him feel worthy as she did. The rain on the roof got louder as thunder rumbled. Daisy flinched. He put his arms tight around her and pulled her against his chest.

“It’s the vibration, the echoes,” she mumbled against him.

“Focus on my heart,” he said. “It’ll keep you safe.”

****

Robbie paced in one of the back rooms of May’s coffee shop.

Daisy wasn’t far away. She was napping on the sofa in May’s office, completely exhausted. He should be too, having been up for as long as he had, but the need to punish those that had hurt the woman who was miraculously still his girlfriend was burning in his gut.

Mack had arrived that morning to find everyone else already at the garage. He’d looked confused, but hadn’t asked too many questions. May was filling in for Daisy behind the register, and Jemma and Trip had gone to see patients, refusing to let anything, even exhaustion, close their doors.

Fitz had sworn he could work as well, but when Robbie had left the garage, he’d been asleep in the backseat of the car he was supposed to be gutting the wiring out of. Robbie would have punched anyone who tried to wake him because Daisy had a new pair of gloves that compressed her hands and forearms to brace and protect her bones, and which had embedded metal that assisted her in directing the force waves she could create. It was an amazing piece of engineering, and for the first time, Robbie had realized exactly what Fitz’s injuries must have taken away from him when he’d had to drop out of school.

The real kicker of the night had happened around four am, when Jemma had pieced enough together out of the file to name what Hartlife had done to Daisy. Terrigen crystals. They’d meant to kill him, or her, or maybe both. It looked like Jemma and Trip’s clinic was being targeted because a lot of people paid cash. The reasons were varied, from illegal immigration to not having an address because of homelessness, but it all meant that those were patients outside of normal safety nets.

If they disappeared, nobody would notice.

Jemma believed that Hartlife was looking for people who weren’t killed by the mist, though she didn’t know why.

Hopefully, May’s contacts, Hunter and Bobbi, would know more. They were supposed to show up any minute. Robbie had insisted he be the one to deal with this, not to cut everyone else out, but because it was his battle. The Rider seethed in agreement. He wanted to burn Hartlife to the ground, but until he knew if they could fight back or not, he couldn’t further risk Daisy. Or Gabe. Or even his uncle.

_The screams of the damned will be sweet._

Robbie’s fists tightened, only he had to mentally shove his anger and the Rider aside as the knob to the door turned.

In walked Hunter, dressed in an American flag hoodie and wearing glasses, with Bobbi right behind him in a blue wig and I heart NY shirt that was too small. She was chewing gum and had bright red stilettoes on that made her tower over even him.

Robbie wasn’t sure if he was supposed to laugh or not.

“We’re tourists,” Hunter said, and Robbie guessed his face must have shown how taken aback he was. “We look too ridiculous to be taken seriously.”

“I’m going to try.”

Hunter sighed. “Not by you, anyone else that might have eyes on this place. We’re totally below being noticed for being anything other than idiots.”

Robbie didn’t have a reply for that. Instead, he grabbed one of the metal chairs in the small room and turned it around, sitting on it backward. Bobbi perched on another, still chewing her gum and Hunter lounged in one beside her.

“Talk,” Robbie said. “What do you know.”

“Too bloody much,” Hunter said.

Bobbi crossed her legs. “Far too much. We’re way past the usual corporate shit where they make money on the backs of the people that can least afford it. This is evil.”

The Rider stirred inside Robbie. “What kind of evil?”

“Eugenics, cloning, unauthorized and unethical medical experimentation,” Hunter said.

“Illegal dumping,” Bobbi added. Hunter looked at her. “What? It pisses me off. They can afford better disposal of medical waste than polluting the oceans.”

Robbie tried not to growl and almost succeeded. “What do I need to know?”

Hunter and Bobbi both studied him.

“That it goes right to the top,” Hunter finally said. “It was a bitch to get into some of those systems, and we might have compromised ourselves do it. So now we need Hartlife gone too before we get to find out if they can make us dead.” Bobbi took his hand and threaded her fingers with his.

Robbie’s gaze slid down to the floor. It was carpet, short fibers, amazingly clean for a coffee shop. You’d think espresso would have been spilled on it at least once. The color wasn’t exciting, but that was to be expected.

The Rider tugged at him. _Think_.

“We’re going to have to make a Hail Mary pass,” Bobbi said.

Hunter rolled his eyes. “I’m dressed like an American, love, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear about football.”

Robbie snorted softly as he held in a laugh.

“Don’t tell me you’re a fan,” Hunter said to Robbie, sounding horrified.

“Not so much,” Robbie said. “But Bobbi’s right, we got to go big, or we won’t be going home.” He looked up at Bobbi. “I need access. Right at the top.”

Hunter shook his head. “That’s a no go. The CEO isn’t someone you can just walk up to. The guy has layers of personal security.”

Red flashed across Robbie’s vision. Somehow, he was on his feet and kicking over his chair. It clattered loudly in the small room.

“I didn’t say there wasn’t a way.” One corner of Hunter’s lips quirked into a smile. “It’s just not easy. In a couple of weeks, there’s going to be the annual Hartlife gala where they schmooze with celebrities and investors while barking nonsense about charity.”

Bobbi nodded. “You need to get in—” She broke off as the door opened, revealing Daisy standing there, her dark hair sleep-mussed.

“We’ll need to get in,” she said, yawning and shuffling into the room.

“I’m doing this.” Robbie wasn’t about to drag her into the lion’s den.

“Not without me.”

He glared at her, fire running through his veins. The metal chairs in the room clattered as they shook, startling Hunter and Bobbi. He calmed himself and watched Daisy do the same. They’d discuss it later.

“Yeah, great.” Hunter crossed his arms. “We don’t have tickets for anybody. There’s not that many, and they go fast.”

Daisy pursed her lips. “Could an associate from another insurance company get a few?”

“Fuck,” Robbie said, immediately knowing what she was thinking. “I don’t want to involve…fuck, I’ll ask. I’ll tell my uncle it’s to impress my girlfriend.”

Bobbi nodded. “If you can get those, then let us know, and we’ll start planning what will happen that night.”

“I need to get as many of the top execs alone as possible,” Robbie said. “Especially the CEO.”

“Tickets, then plans,” Bobbi reiterated. “May will know how to contact us.”

Daisy was eyeing Bobbi and Hunter and their hideous outfits.

“They’re tourists,” Robbie said.

“God.” Daisy made a face. “I don’t want to look at them. I can’t imagine someone spying on the coffee shop would want to either.”

Hunter beamed. “I like her.”

Robbie dragged a hand down his face as Hunter and Bobbi left.

Daisy shut the door behind them. “Remind me never to let Hunter pick anything for me to wear, ev—”

The rest of what she was saying was lost as he kissed her deeply, pushing her back against the door. The chairs rattled again.

He broke the kiss, panting.

Daisy looked deep into his eyes. “Oh my god, Robbie, if you’re about to tell me going to this gala-thing is too dangerous, I am going to punch you.”

The Rider like that idea a little too much. Or maybe that was him. Damn it.

“What if I just don’t want you to go?”

“I will knee you in the dick.” He kissed her again, but it didn’t last long. Daisy groaned against his lips. “Fine, I will knee you in the dick later. When you least expect it.”

“You’re not going to let me go without you, are you?”

Daisy gazed up at him, her lips wet and plump from kisses, but her eyes hard. “No. I’ll train. I’ve been given a gift that I don’t understand yet, but I will, even if I didn’t want it. And Hartlife handed it to me. It’s only fair I show them how much I appreciate it.” She put her arms around him. “And do you really think I’d let you walk into that hellhole without me?”

“No.” He kissed her forehead and nose.

“And let’s be real. Those assholes were after you. I was collateral damage. If it’d been a different day, it’s not me that would have been in that mist. It would have been Gabe.”

“I know.” Icy fear curled around his stomach. Gabe probably wouldn’t have survived, since no one had any idea why Daisy had.

“I don’t want him hurt, either.”

Robbie kissed the corner of her mouth. “Thank you, but now I don’t know what to do. I doubt Hartlife is going to forget about you.”

“I’ve thought about that, and then I talked to May and rethought about it.”

“I’m not going to like this, am I?”

Daisy shook her head. “Nope. The plan is that we’re going to be as normal as possible. After today, I’m going back to work at May’s like nothing is different. We spend time at your place or mine.”

“We’re together all the time?”

“I had to be argued into agreeing to that part because I didn’t want to assume anything.” She looked a little sheepish. “But yes, together. If they want to risk coming after one of us, it’s going to be both. Which would make it big, and public, and messy. We don’t think Hartlife wants to tip their hand like that, yet.”

“If they think they’re going to so much as touch you, I will gut them.” His blood roared in his ears.

Daisy cupped his face. “I will grind them to ashes.”

She pulled him into a kiss, and Robbie pressed his tongue deep between her lips. She retaliated by cupping his burgeoning hard-on through his jeans. Fuck, she was an amazing woman.

There was a knock at the door. “Later,” May said briskly as if she knew what they were up to. “Right now, it’s back to work for both of you.” How had she known?

The chairs rattled again.


	13. Parcheesi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I owe Gort extra thanks for this beta. I edited the chapter after working a 12-hour night shift and sent it to her, and somehow she made it make sense. This Parcheesi is for you._

_A Week Later_

The afternoon was dragging on. There’d been no break for her because Davis had needed the day off to take his kid to the doctor. It wasn’t serious, thankfully, but he’d been a wreck when his wife had called, and Daisy had told him to go and not to worry about anything else for the rest of the day.

Work was steady, and she mechanically took orders and made drinks just fast enough so she couldn’t stop and dwell on her own thoughts. The inside of her head was a messed-up place as she tried to come to terms that her life was never going to be normal again. The Avengers, the alien invasion, gods from other realms…it’d all seemed like stuff that happened very far away and to people who certainly weren’t struggling actresses. Or baristas.

Daisy put the finishing whipped cream on the mocha and handed it to the harried looking woman that’d fielded three phone calls in the last five minutes. She took a sip, and her face blissed out. “I needed this, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Daisy said as the women answered another phone call.

“I’m drinking coffee. This better be good news.” The bell above the door chimed as she walked out of the coffee shop.

Daisy sighed and rubbed at her eyes. Grabbing the espresso machine’s portafilter, she went to empty it into the trash. Nothing happened. She hit it with her hand, but the grounds stayed stubbornly in place. With a sigh, she focused on her breathing and let the slightest vibration run through her fingers. The grounds did fall out, but the portafilter also shot out of her hand, hitting a half-full bag of coffee beans and scattering them everywhere.

“Nice shooting, Tex,” Robbie said, leaning over the counter and making her jump.

Daisy glared at him. “The bell didn’t go off.”

“I’ve been practicing opening the door just far enough that it doesn’t, but I’m still able to slip through.”

She laughed as she got the broom and dustpan. “I think you’ve been talking to Hunter too much.”

Robbie scowled, but came around the counter and took the dustpan from her. She’d been nearly living at his place this last week, even though nobody had seen anything that even vaguely suggested Hartlife was around. Which probably meant they were always around.

Staying with him would be a lot more fun if Robbie hadn’t decided to turn into the perfect gentleman. He slept on the couch, was always completely dressed, and hadn’t even looked like he wanted to fondle any part of her since she’d become a human shake-machine.

Which wasn’t fair. Robbie was flame-boy, and Daisy still wanted to feel his body against hers, his skin under her palms.

“I’ll meet you here, after work?” he asked.

“I’ll be here. Gary is usually on time, so you shouldn’t have to wait for me for very long.”

“Cool, yeah. Um, Uncle Eli texted me to say he’ll be home tonight.”

“We’ll hit him again on the ticket front. He hasn’t said no, and we can bat our eyes at him to speed it along.”

Robbie gave a sharp nod and bent down to hold the dustpan as she swept the coffee beans into it. He dumped them in the trash, and she washed her hands before making him a coffee.

Their fingers brushed when she handed it to him and Daisy smiled despite the way Robbie quickly snatched his hand back along with the cup. He almost smiled back, this time making the bell chime as he left.

Daisy turned around and nearly ran into May.

“Everything alright?” she asked.

Daisy sighed. “Yeah, he was checking on me. I mean, it’s all been weird this last week.” She retrieved the portafilter from where it had landed. It seemed to still be in one piece, and she carried it to the sink to wash.

May hadn’t budged.

“I’m worried he doesn’t like me anymore. Since I’m different now.”

May crossed her arms. “Not the problem,” she said and returned to her office.

Daisy stared after her. “Not the problem?” she grumbled. Which part wasn’t the problem? And what was she supposed to do about any of it?

The bell chimed, and a group of high school girls came in, having just gotten out of class. They talked loud and fast together and rattled their orders off at her. Daisy had never been more grateful for the distraction of loudly voiced opinions on K-pop bands and vanilla lattes before in her life.

It meant she didn’t have to think.

****

“Hey, Gabe,” Daisy said as she walked into the brownstone, Robbie at her heels.

“Daisy!” Gabe waved her over. “Wait until you see what I have.”

“Is it food? I need food.”

Robbie hung his jacket up, then held out a hand for hers. She stuck her knit cap in the pocket before shrugging it off.

“It’s sort of food. Uncle Eli couldn’t stay, so he gave me forty bucks for pizza, which I already ordered.”

Robbie groaned. “They’re not all Hawaiian this time, are they?”

Gabe huffed at his brother. “It’s not my fault your taste buds suck, and no, I got Daisy her favorite ham and bacon kind. So there.”

Robbie headed for the kitchen, the sink turning on a moment later. He always scrubbed his hands first thing when he got home.

“I got him pepperoni,” Gabe said in a low voice. “He’s been extra broody lately, what gives?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’ve been staying over and everything.”

Her cheeks warmed. “Yeah, um, Robbie’s been sleeping on the couch.”

“I know, is that why he’s grumpy?”

Daisy made a face and bumped Gabe’s chair with her knee. “No. I’m going to ask him tonight.”

Gabe nodded, then held up a flat envelope that’d been tucked between his leg and the side of his chair. “I also have this to give you.”

Daisy's heart stuttered. It looked like Eli had come through. “Is that what I think it is?”

The sink turned off, and Robbie reappeared. “Let me have—”

She shot to her feet, grabbing the envelope as the room rattled. Robbie caught a vase that fell from a shelf beside him and shot her a look as he put it back.

Daisy mouthed ‘sorry’ before tearing open the envelope. “Two tickets to the Hartlife Gala,” she said, stroking their glossy surface.

Two tickets closer to saving the clinic, to making them pay for hurting her, for hurting a lot of people.

“What are you going to wear?” Gabe asked.

“Don’t know, but I’m going to text Jemma and ask her to go shopping with me. We need girl time. She’s been dying to talk, and I’ve been too busy this last week to be a good friend.”

“What are you going to make Robbie wear?”

Robbie’s eye twitched. He was rescued from her describing in detail what he should wear by the doorbell ringing. Daisy and Gabe smothered their laughter as Robbie yanked the door open, scaring the poor guy with their pizzas in his hands. The delivery guy stammered out a thanks when Robbie told him to keep the change, and then ran.

“He’s going to wear a tux, of course,” Daisy said when Robbie closed the door. He scowled and carried the boxes into the kitchen. “With shiny shoes and a bowtie,” she called after him.

“I got you pepperoni,” Gabe added. “Which makes me your favorite brother for all of dinner.” Daisy laughed, but Gabe’s face fell when Robbie didn’t reply to their teasing.

She put a hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “I’ll talk to him tonight, I promise.”

****

Daisy sat cross-legged on Robbie’s bed. The room was absurdly neat, with only a few back and white prints of motorcycles on the walls to hint at the fact that a relatively normal person lived there.

Robbie was perched on the edge of the bed beside her. He was on the phone, talking to Hunter in a hushed voice, hashing out a few details for when they would next meet.

Ending the call, Robbie sighed. “They’re moving around a lot. We’re staying put. I don’t know which is right.” He slumped forward, elbows on his knees and his head bowed. “Both. Neither. Are you doing okay, Daisy?”

“I’m still not used to how buzzy everything feels, and getting a handle on what I can do isn’t easy.”

He nodded. “You’ll get it.” Robbie started to stand, and she used a slightly uncoordinated blast to slam the bedroom door shut. He looked defeated. “Daisy—”

“We need to talk,” she said. “Instead of you running away again.”

“I’m not running away.”

“Not from responsibility, you’re great at that, I mean from me.” She put her hands palm-side down on the bed and spread out her fingers. “You haven’t kissed me since this happened to me. If you can’t stand to touch me anymore, just say so. I’m a big girl.”

Robbie’s head was still bowed. His hands clutched either side, and his fingertips dug into his scalp. “No, I…that’s not it.”

“Is this an ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ speech? Because you don’t seem to want whoever, or whatever, I am now.”

Robbie growled. Daisy yelped as he knocked her onto her back on the bed and pressed her into the mattress with his entire body. His mouth smashed into hers, and she wiggled her tangled legs out from under him until she could circle them around his waist. With a groan, he jerked his hips forward, treating her to the feeling of his absurdly hard cock grinding against her center.

This was more like it.

Daisy tugged at his shirt, their wild kiss breaking as she stripped it off over his head. Her nails raked down his back, making fire dance in his eyes.

That was sexier than it had any right to be.

Robbie’s mouth twisted as he glanced down her front before he shifted his weight to his knees and grabbed the front of her blouse. Buttons pinged sharply around the room as he tore it open. Her bra met the same fate, and the two halves fell apart to reveal her breasts.

His hand was rough on them. He kneaded one before pinching both her nipples and drawing them out into points.

She should say something elegant about how wonderful he made her feel, or about how much she’d been craving him, but all that came out was a garbled ‘mergh’. Instead of speaking, she yanked open the front of his jeans and pushed them down his legs. His cock hung heavily between his thighs as he rose over her to kick his pants and underwear the rest of the way off.

Daisy undid her jeans, and he helped her shimmy out of them. Bare and spread out under him, she felt like she was finally back home. “You still want me?” she asked, the faintest vibration in her fingers as she wrapped them around his dick and stroked.

“I will always want you.” His kiss was tender and brief. “The bigger question is if—”

She didn’t give him a chance to finish that crazy thought. She rolled him over, only the bed was narrow, and they ended up crashing to the floor, landing with her on top. Daisy didn’t give him time to regroup before sinking onto his cock.

Robbie groaned. “Daisy, fuck, Daisy.”

She leaned back and rode him, lifting up and down while she cupped one breast and slid the fingers of her other hand back and forth over her clit. Robbie watched her with hooded eyes. Her body was starved for the feeling of him being buried inside her. She couldn’t get enough.

It wasn’t enough as pleasure tightened her belly and made a muscle behind her knee quiver. Or when her pussy tightened around Robbie’s cock, making every hard inch of him feel like heaven, or the way sparks licked at her skin as he slid his hands up her thighs.

Her climax ricocheted through her, and Robbie sat partway up, his thumb pressing between her lips to muffle her cries. She sucked on it, nipping at him when he tried to lay back.

“Another,” he panted. “Come again. Please. Let me see.”

Her breath caught. Another orgasm was building fast. She snapped her hips hard as she fucked him, her fingers pressed to her clit.

Her second orgasm shook the walls, and one of the motorcycle pictures crashed to the ground, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass.

“Daisy,” he choked out. “Close. I’m close.”

“Yes, Robbie—”

“No condom,” he muttered before flopping back on the carpet and putting an arm over his eyes.

“No problem.”

“Huh?”

Daisy pulled off him and quickly retreated down his body until she could suck his cock into her mouth. It was shiny with her cream, and she moaned as she lowered her head as much as possible before starting to bob her head.

Robbie’s fingers threaded into her hair. “Don’t stop,” he ground out. “Daisy…don’t leave.”

That didn’t make sense. With his dick between her lips, she wasn’t about to go anywhere, but even with her mind mostly scrambled and preoccupied with tracing her tongue over every vein on Robbie’s cock, she realized he was saying more about himself than he had for the last week.

She pinned her hips with her hands and let go of his dick. “I’m right where I want to be.” She licked the head of his cock, savoring the saltiness, before working as much of him into her mouth as she could. Daisy kept him pinned as she sucked.

Robbie’s hips bucked under her hands, and his fingers gripped her hair tightly. When he moaned and yanked her another half inch down his shaft, Daisy sucked harder, then swallowed.

“Fuck,” Robbie barked as his body stiffened. His cock pulsed and she swallowed down his release, not letting go of his cock until it started to soften. He let go of her hair and cupped her cheek with one trembling hand.

Daisy scooted up on top of him. They lay entwined, and Robbie’s breathing finally returned to normal.

“I’m not sleepy,” she said, nuzzling at his chest.

 Robbie stroked her hair. “Me either, chica, not after that ride.”

“What do you want to do?”

Robbie sighed and didn’t say anything.

“Tell me the truth. Except if you want to play Parcheesi. I don’t care how relaxing it is. It’s not my thing.”

His hand left her hair and trailed down her spine to cradle her ass. “What I really want to do is go out, let the Rider loose, and ruin someone’s day.”

“Cool, I’m going with. I need to practice with the shaking. We’ll be like a superhero and their sidekick.”

“Who am I in this scenario?”

She laughed. “Who do you think?”

His other hand found her ass as well, and he kissed her neck as he kneaded it. “A superhero needs a name.”

“I’ll come up with a good one. Now let’s go.”


	14. Shook Me All Night Long

Robbie laced his boots tight as Daisy zipped her coat.

A smile was playing over her face, and her eyes were bright. She was excited. It was breathtaking. The Rider thought so too and was badgering Robbie to hurry up. He glanced at the door to Gabe’s room. Robbie had done this so many times before, but it was different now. Hartlife knew he existed. If anything happened to Gabe…

The Rider wrestled control from Robbie, and abruptly it was as if a three-block radius shifted into focus. Nothing. No evil lurking beside the usual adultery and the thorn prick of Mr. White pirating cable. The Rider subsided, and Robbie glanced at Daisy.

“Glowy?” she asked, gesturing towards her face.

“The Rider checked for threats. We’re clear.” He opened the door for her and ended up watching her ass as she walked through. Only she could make a dead man burn.

The Rider laughed.

Robbie locked the door and headed for the Hellcharger. The door swung open for Daisy as he rounded the front and pulled open his side. He settled in, Daisy closed her door, and the car roared to life.

Daisy looked awed. “The car is part of your powers too?”

“Ghost Rider,” he said. “It wouldn’t make sense if I didn’t have something to ride.”

Her eyes darkened, and she crossed her legs.

Robbie inhaled sharply. Those were legs he’d been between while she’d rode him hell bent for leather. Damn. The engine revved hard, and he took off into traffic. Beside him, Daisy pulled her gloves on, the slide of the fabric up her arms making him want to trace the same path with his tongue.

He forced his thoughts, and eyes, back on the road. He was going to have to watch out for her, this was her first time fighting much of anything, and she needed training. His toe tapped on the gas pedal. He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t ecstatic. Daisy was hunting with him. He wasn’t alone.

“Thanks,” he said as he drove, leaning back and taking one hand off the wheel to settle it along the back of the seat. He tugged at the end of Daisy’s ponytail.

“For what?”

“For being here, I guess. I do this a lot, but nobody has ever been with me before.”

Her smile was wide. “We’re going to kick ass.”

Robbie started to reply, but it was cut off as his head whipped around and he sharply jerked the wheel, turning onto a side street.  They were near the East River, not too far from La Guardia, and jet engines rumbled overhead.

Daisy winced. “No riding on planes for a while,” she said.

“Does the Hellcharger’s engine bother you?” It was loud and rough, and he hadn’t considered that to Daisy it might be unbearable.

“Actually, no.” She patted the dash. “It’s a comforting rumble.”

The Rider sent a wave of joy through him, and Robbie mentally rolled his eyes, not that he wasn’t happy with what she’d said either. The car was a part of him, and her liking any part of him made him content.

There were closed auto shops and buildings with no discernable function on both sides of the street. He pulled over, the knowledge that something was happening that shouldn’t be tugging at him. Drug packaging and distribution. Probably coming in on ships and being brought here on the river.

“Here,” he said, jerking his chin at the building, and Daisy got out. He followed quickly and put a hand on her arm. “I lead. If I tell you to do something, do it. I can easily survive a bullet.”

“What is it?” she asked in a hushed voice.

“Drugs, but I’m not sure what kind.” He took a step, then stopped. “If it’s cocaine, please don’t blast it into the air. Killing everyone and you with an overdose is not my plan.”

Daisy nodded. “No snow showers, got it.”

Robbie shook his head and led the way through an alley. It stank, and rats scuttled out of their way. He stopped in front of a nondescript door. “They’re inside,” he said in a low voice. “No one in there is innocent.” He tilted his head to look at her. “You can go back to the car if you want. Taking out this operation will change you. People will die.” His heart constricted. This was his world, not hers.

“I’m already changed.” Her gaze was steady. “I can’t ignore it. I can pretend I’m the same, but I’m not. I have to believe this happened for a reason. That I…that I love you for a reason.”

Her words washed through him. “Te amo,” he whispered, hardly daring to admit it, but she deserved to hear it. “Your feelings might change after this, but mine won’t.”

Daisy kissed his cheek. “Stop worrying. Now flame on.” She shook out her arms and raised her hands. “I’ve got the door.”

‘Flame on’ he mouthed. Really?

Daisy grinned, shook out her arms, and raised her hands.  The Rider rose, and Robbie cracked his neck as that part of him took over.  The flames consumed him, the light making Daisy’s skin glow.

The door blasted inwards with a sharp crack. Daisy didn’t just open it, she took it right off its hinges. It flew across the room, upending tables and sending people scrambling until it clanged against the far wall. The Rider stepped inside, and the screaming got louder.

“Oh, yeah,” Daisy said, and Robbie mentally sighed. The Rider might be busy assessing who to grab first, but he’d gotten her Kool-Aid Man reference.

God, he loved her.

Daisy knocked tables to the side as The Rider grabbed up a man who was fumbling for a gun. The man was nothing a moment later.

He looked around to find Daisy still close to him. She threw her power towards a man raising a shotgun, and he hit the brick wall hard enough to make part of it crumble. The Rider turned away, that man was no longer a threat nor in need of further punishment.

The operation wasn’t large, only a dozen people, and The Rider made short work of most of them. Daisy was good at tossing people through the air, not letting them get close or raise weapons. Her movements were graceful. She was beautiful and deadly, and Robbie would have kissed her if he’d had lips to do it with. However, her motions were showy. It was stage fighting, and she needed to know the real thing.  May would be a good person to ask. If the fight was bigger and they ended up separated, then she might need to use more than her power to protect herself.

The Rider ended the life of the murderer in his grasp, and strode to the body of the man Daisy had taken out. He burned it, leaving no evidence.

No longer needed, the Rider returned beneath his skin, and Robbie stretched his back. He turned to find Daisy poking through the contents of one of the overturned tables.

“Not cocaine,” he said, and she nodded absently. “And we got them all. Nobody to spread tales.” He looked around the relatively small space. An old TV with a bent antenna was tuned to some cop show, the sound low and the captions on. There were pallets with what looked like pill bottles in boxes. Some were empty, some full. Against one wall, there were several label printers that had escaped Daisy’s shaking. “What is this place? I’ve busted a few set-ups that were repackaging kilos of coke or heroin, but this looks like a Walgreens.” The place even smelled like antiseptic.

Daisy stood, her gaze fixed on the pill bottle she was holding. “These are narcotics. Generic oxycodone.” She looked up. “There are all these fake prescriptions.” She gestured at the papers that had been strewn across the concrete floor.  “And it’s all marked—” Her thumb passed over the label.

“Hartlife,” Robbie supplied for her, the word bitter in his mouth.

“Yeah.” Daisy dropped the bottle. “There’s so much of it. Pills in boxes, and bottles, and…what’s going on here?”

“Money,” he said. “So much money. Hartlife’s funding itself not only through bilking the system, but illegally. Selling prescriptions, or the pills.”

“What do we do?”

“Burn it.”

****

Robbie drove away as the pile of paper and pills they’d made outside the building went from smoldering to burning brightly. Black smoke spiraled upwards, and he hoped that it wasn’t laced with narcotics. That’d be just his kind of luck.

She was texting Hunter on Robbie’s phone. Hunter would be able to mask everything—number, origin—about an anonymous call to 911 asking for a response to a fire.

Daisy handed his phone back several blocks later, her face grim. Off in the distance, a siren wailed.

“They agree that it’s a side hustle for Hartlife,” she said.

Robbie blew out a breath.

“That was one tiny part of that company.” She tapped a finger against the side window of the charger as her eyes turned towards the houses of the residential area they were driving through. The orange of the street lamps flowed over her legs, but her face remained in shadow.

“One tiny part that doesn’t exist anymore.  One tiny part that can't hurt anybody ever again.”

She turned her head towards him. “We did good?”

“Yeah, chica, we did. You kicked ass.”

A smile spread over her face. “I kind of did.”

“But you need to know how to defend yourself, not all that stage crap.”

“I bet May can help with that.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” He took a deep breath. “And I can help.” His voice was gruff, and he coughed to clear his throat. “I wouldn’t mind sparring with you and teaching you how to fight dirty.”

“Why thank you, sidekick.”

Robbie laughed. “I want to argue with you, but I also want to kiss you again sometime soon, so I’ll refrain.”

Daisy poked his leg. “What do you want to argue about?” She trailed her fingers up his side until she was pressing the tip of a single finger against his jaw.

“Who the sidekick is. Maybe that should be your name. We can be Ghost Rider and appropriately named sidekick.”

“Robin?” She poked his shoulder this time. “For you, I mean. Obviously, I’m Batman.”

“Did you know Phil was Batman for Halloween last year?” he asked. “Which means the role of Batman is already taken.”

“Please tell me you have pictures?”

“So many.” There were a few moments of silence. “What about Wonder Woman?” he asked, picturing her in a little skirt and form-fitting top. He wouldn’t say no to her carrying the Lasso of Truth, either.

Daisy poked harder. “She doesn’t have a sidekick.” Daisy sucked at her lip. “Xena?”

“You’d make a great Xena. Please tell me you’d dress just like her.” Daisy would look fantastic in leather.

“Only if you dress like Gabby.” Daisy giggled and pushed at his leg before leaning back against her seat. “I need a name that says who I am.”

“Is ‘smart and sexy’ too long to say?”

“You know it is, but thank you. I’m trying to think of something to do with my powers. Shaker? Like mover and shaker?”

Robbie put the car’s blinker on and turned a corner. It wasn’t far now to home. “Aren’t the Shakers an old religious group? That are pacifists? That isn’t going to work.” He could just imagine her announcing to a roomful of people that she was a Shaker and everyone promptly ignoring her as a threat.

“Damn it, no Shaker.” Her mouth twisted first to one side, then the other. “I really can’t think of anything.”

Robbie couldn’t either. “Good Vibrations?”

“No.”

They parked in front of the brownstone, in the space that was always free for the Charger. Having a demonic car that was linked to your psyche was useful when it came to street parking in New York. It would even parallel park on its own.

Robbie threaded his fingers with hers as they walked up to the door and Robbie unlocked it. Inside, he clicked it closed with his foot and pulled Daisy against him. Her mouth was hungry and pliant under his.

Damn, there was no comparison between coming home alone after fighting alone and coming home with Daisy after sharing a fight.

His hand spread out on her lower back and pushed her hips towards him. He was unreasonably horny for having already been with her once that night. He wanted to hear her say something about love when they weren’t in danger. To hear the words on her lips as he pressed his cock deep inside her. To know he touched her heart as well as her body.

Someone cleared their throat, and Daisy jumped back like she’d been burned.

Robbie swiped his lips before turning to face a grinning Gabe. “Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”

“Yeah, but I wanted to surprise you guys. Robbie’s been going out for months, and I was worried about what he was up to.”

Robbie’s entire body went cold. He’d thought Gabe hadn’t known he was leaving the house. Which had apparently just been Robbie fooling himself. Of course Gabe, one of the smartest people Robbie had ever met, would know he was regularly staying out until the early morning hours. “Gabe—”

“Don’t look so freaked out. I thought you were trying to cope with stuff by going out and drinking or picking up girls, but that’s not it, is it? You’re out doing superhero type stuff, and now Daisy can help because she’s a real superhero.”

The blood drained out of Daisy’s face. “What?” she squeaked. Robbie felt gutted. He wasn’t the kind of hero Gabe would be proud of.

Gabe rolled his eyes at Daisy. “You’re not Batman. I’ve totally seen you doing stuff like closing the fridge door with your hands full, or the thing with the tap water where you made it flow upward. That was super cool. So what’s your superhero name?”

Daisy shared a glance with Robbie. “I haven’t got one yet.”

“Sweet,” Gabe beamed. “You shake things, right?” Daisy nodded cautiously. Gabe straightened up in his chair and clasped his hands together. “What about Quake?”


	15. See-Through

Queen’s Center Mall looked like what you’d expect to see if you looked up ‘mall’ on Wikipedia. There were a lot of people, and elevators, and all the tiles, walls, and endless escalators were the same boring beige color.  

Jemma was peering at a map of the place displayed on a stand just inside the entrance they’d used.

“Maybe we should go to a consignment shop or something, this place isn’t me,” Daisy said. “It’s all generic mall stuff.”

“I know.” Jemma straightened. “But we’re not buying a dress for you, exactly. It’s for the you who would show up at one of these gala things. And none of us can afford actual designer dresses, so we’ll get what we can at Macy’s. And then we can lingerie shop.” Her smile became even brighter. “Because you’ll need something to go under your new dress.”

Daisy stifled a groan. Nobody should ever allow Jemma to play poker. She couldn’t keep a straight face no matter what. And it wasn’t that Daisy was against sexy underwear shopping, but she was going to have to answer a million and one times whether or not she thought Fitz would like something, to which the answer would always be yes. Jemma could wear a bra made of bees and it wouldn’t put him off getting his hands all over her.

“Can we stop at the food court at some point,” Daisy asked. “Because I’m starving.”

“Of course.” Jemma turned toward Daisy and crossed her arms. “Maybe we should get your hair done, too?”

“After mall food.”

Jemma frowned. “Right, okay, Macy’s first?”

“Lead the way.”

The mall wasn’t crowded, and they easily made their way to the huge department store.

“Any idea where the dresses are?” Daisy asked.

Jemma looked a little pale. “Not really, I don’t exactly shop at places like this.”

“Let's head towards women’s wear, and we can go from there.” She linked arms with Jemma and led her towards where the arrow for women’s fashion pointed.

It took them a few moments to find the upscale dresses. “Wow,” Daisy mumbled, staring at the price tag on a dress with barely enough fabric to qualify as such.

“It’s lucky we have the financial backing from May and Phil for this.” Jemma’s brows shot up when Daisy showed her the tag. “But there’s barely any dress.”

“I don’t think this is the one we want.” Daisy put it back. “And I thought doctors made a lot of money.”

“Those that run not-for-profit clinics and who are occasionally paid in barter are not exactly flush with cash.” Her voice was clipped.

Daisy put a hand on Jemma’s arm. “We’re not going to let anyone take your clinic away.”

“Thank you,” Jemma mumbled. She turned to look at Daisy. “It’s a part of me. Almost everything that I make goes back into it, and most everything after that goes to my student loans. I’m doing what I wanted to do when I started med school: I’m helping people who need it.”

“That’s what I’m doing too. Just differently. With more violence.”

Jemma held up a dress. “And while looking amazing. You have to try this one on.”

“It has ruffles, that’s a no.” It wasn’t close to her style. Jemma pouted. “And it’s bright yellow,” Daisy continued. “I’d look like a vibrating Big Bird.”

“You’re right.” Jemma hung the dress back up. “Maybe just a black one?”

“I’m really not trying to draw attention, so a little black dress sounds amazing.”

There were a lot of those, and they loaded up their arms with eight of them for Daisy to try on. Walking to the fitting rooms, they passed a display of new spring looks. The dresses were cute, and even though Jemma marched right by them, Daisy nabbed a purple flowered one with spaghetti straps that Jemma would look fantastic in.

At the changing rooms, Jemma hung the dresses she was carrying up in one of the booths, and Daisy pushed the purple one into her arms.

“I’ll get to work seeing if any of these work, but you should try this one on. It’s reasonably priced, and I think your boyfriend would love it on you.”

Jemma held the dress up like it might be laced with explosives. “I don’t know. It’s not very practical.”

“Just try it.” Daisy gave Jemma a tiny shove towards the changing room next to hers.

The first two black dresses Daisy tried were hideous. The third not too bad, but the fourth was killer. It had a hell of plunging neckline, and a knee length skirt that was split almost up to her hip, but there was a snap. With a shawl and the snap done up, it was a fairly tame outfit, but it wouldn’t take much to turn it into something distractingly revealing. Those old goons in charge of Hartlife wouldn’t realize what was happening until it was too late.

Also, Robbie would drool over her in it, probably while she was swooning at the sight of him in a tux.

“I got it,” she called, walking out of her changing room. “What about you?”

“I’m not sure about this,” Jemma said.

“Let me see.”

Jemma pushed the curtain that served as a door to her changing room aside and walked out. She gasped. “Oh my, you look stunning. Like a proper movie star.”

“You have to buy that dress,” Daisy replied. “And thank you.”

Jemma’s dress fit perfectly, holding tight to her curves in the right places and making her look like spring. “I don’t know about this.” She smoothed her hands over her hips and made a face.

“Your boyfriend is going to fall over again, and I’m planning to make mine get on his knees and beg.” Daisy cocked a hip and looked at herself in the mirror. She straightened her spine and drew her shoulders back. Her reflection looked dressed to kill. Perfect.

“I’m not sure I’d call Fitz my boyfriend,” Jemma said as they returned to their cubicles to change back to their regular clothes.

Daisy was glad Jemma couldn’t see the way her eyes nearly rolled out of her head. “Then what would you call him?”

“Um, my very good friend?”

Daisy didn’t argue to point immediately. Instead, she waited until they were dressed, the clothes bought—Jemma needed only a little cajoling to get the purple dress—and were in Victoria’s Secret looking at underwear.

She leaned close to Jemma as they sorted through the discount section. “Have you and Fitz done it yet?”

“Done what?” Jemma said, though she squeaked and bright spots of color appeared on her cheeks.

Daisy bit back a laugh. “Don’t play coy. You two were practically humping on the hood of a car. I’m fishing for details.”

“Have you and Robbie?”

“Duh.”

Jemma giggled, really giggled. Like she was in middle school and not a medical school graduate. “Is he good?”

“Hey, I asked you first. And of course Robbie is, he can do amazing things with his tongue that are probably illegal.” Daisy held up a skimpy black thong she was going to need not to have a panty-line in her new dress. “These look so uncomfortable.”

Jemma made a face. “I know you have to, but it’s going to be like your flossing your arse the entire night.”

“Tell me about it.” Daisy crossed her arms, panties in hand. “And tell me about if you’ve been with your guy.”

Jemma picked up a satiny pair of undies in bright blue. “Yes, um, yes, we have.”

“And?”

“I…” Jemma trailed off.

“Was it bad? Did he come too early or not get it up at all or something?” Daisy attempted to put a lot of sympathy in her voice, but mostly, she was trying to push Jemma’s buttons.

Jemma’s mouth fell open. “Absolutely not, Fitz was flawless. He’s got those clever hands of his and every time we’ve done it, he’s had no trouble with anything, and I’ve certainly seen stars!”

Daisy grinned.

“Oh,” Jemma said and sighed as she moved around the table to sort through bras. “You’re terrible, you know.”

“So I’ve been told.” Daisy’s didn’t need a new bra to go with her dress, but she picked up one with sheer cups.

“It’s just—” Jemma made a faint distressed noise, even as she plucked a bra out that was the same blue satin as the panties she’d chosen.

Daisy inched close to her. “Hey, I’m totally a safe person if there’s something you need to talk about. I won’t repeat it to anyone, not even Robbie. I promise. You’ve got enough to worry about.” There were all kinds of things that Daisy was worrying over. Even coming to the mall was a risk. Hartlife might be desperate enough to abduct her in broad daylight. Though at this point May, Hunter, and Bobbi believed the company wasn’t going to make a move on her and Robbie until after the gala. Unless she did something dumb like try to leave the state.

Jemma fidgeted, running her fingers over the blue satin of the bra she was holding. Her gaze rose to Daisy’s, and she looked pale and scared under the fluorescent lights. “I…” Jemma paused and took a deep breath. “Don’t tell anyone, but I feel…when we’re together, Fitz and me.” She paused again, having to wipe at her eyes. “It’s perfect. I’m so happy. I think I’m in love with him.”

Daisy had meant to support her friend, no matter what came out of Jemma’s mouth. Daisy had been expecting something along the lines of Jemma confessing Fitz only came on her feet or needed to be choked during sex. Daisy slapped a hand over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter. She doubled over with it.

Jemma looked annoyed.

“I’m sorry,” Daisy said around her giggles. “I just…Jemma…” She tried to get control of herself. “Jemma, we all know you love him. All of us. Random people on the street probably know it. I’m not sure how you didn’t know.” Daisy stumbled forward and pulled Jemma into a hug. “But I’m glad you figured it out. And don’t worry, Fitz is stupid in love with you too.”

Jemma sniffled. “Really?”

“Yes, I’m a hundred percent sure. Just tell Fitz your feelings, and he’ll be right there with you.”

Jemma pushed herself back. “What about you and Robbie? Do you love him?”

“Yes, um, a lot. Flamey parts and all. We sort of said it to each other?” Daisy returned her attention to the bin of panties that fit her, looking for a pair to match the bra.

“What does ‘sort of’ mean?”

“Like I said I love him, only I didn’t say ‘I love you’ in so many words to his face. But he said it to me. It was right before we busted into the prescription drug ring.”

Jemma reached past Daisy and pulled out a pair of sheer panties that matched the bra and handed them to Daisy. “There you go. And if you have those feelings for him, you need to say it back. Or he’ll get all twisted around about it. Maybe. If he isn’t too busy being your guard dog.”

“He’s probably overthinking it as we speak.” Daisy headed for the checkout, Jemma in her wake. “Okay, we have a plan for tonight. We wear our new underwear to surprise our men, and we tell them we love them.”

Jemma nodded slowly. “Excellent plan. Though lunch first.”

“Absolutely lunch first. We can figure out what sexual favors to ask for.”

****

Daisy ended up kneeling on Robbie’s bed with the linens pulled back. He was brushing his teeth and would be in at any moment. Nerves filled her stomach with butterflies.

She felt a little silly, wearing next to nothing and trying to pose. The fabric of her new bra and panties was even more see-through than she’d thought, though the bra made her breasts look perkier, so it was doing its job.

Daisy shook her hair out. It was a lot blonder now, with purple highlights that Gabe had wasted zero time making fun off. They’d sounded like such a good idea when the lady in the salon had suggested them. At least Daisy had talked Jemma out of getting bangs, and she didn’t have that on her conscious.

The bedroom door opened, and Robbie, his hair wet from the shower and his white t-shirt sticking to his skin, walked in. He had a magazine, a couple of granola bars, and a coke in his hands like he was planning on sitting up for a while and watching over her. He looked up and immediately fumbled the stuff he was holding, including the soda. Thankfully it wasn’t opened.

She watched the red can as it rolled to a stop against the wall. “Might want to not open that for a while.”

“Daisy?” Robbie said, his eyes sweeping up and down her. “Damn.”

Her entire body felt like the dropped soda most likely did. It wouldn’t take much to make her explode.

Robbie yanked his shirt off, leaving his hair in disarray, and crawled onto the bed. He prowled across to her on all fours, his gaze heated and fixed on her breasts.

“I love the new bra.” He struck, wrapping an arm around her waist as he sucked at her nipple through the sheer fabric. Daisy whimpered and sank her fingers into his hair.

He nibbled and teased her, making her breasts heavy with desire. It was almost torture when she finally remembered that she had something to say and tugged at his hair until he was kneeling like she was. His warm hands swept up her front, briefly cupping her breasts before moving higher. He cradled her cheek with one and gripped her hair with the other.

“Robbie,” she said before he could maul her any further. “I need to say something.”

“Yes?” His thumb stroked her lips.

“I love you.”

He froze, and the room was quiet except for the thudding of her heart.

Finally, he pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything more beautiful.” He kissed her again. “Te amo, Daisy. Te amo, Quake. I love all of you, and I always will.”

She put her palms on his checks. “All of you, Robbie. I love all of you too.” He hovered his mouth over hers. “Now kiss me.”


	16. Sirens

“I have it on good authority that glaring at that Passat’s AC belt isn’t going to get it loose,” Mack said from where he was bent over the engine of a Land Rover.

Robbie sighed, then glared some more at the underside of the Passat. It was up on the lift, and he had to get the damn AC belt off to get to the serpentine belt, which was the one that actually needed to be replaced. It’s like the designers of the car actively hated anyone who would ever do maintenance on the engine.

From his other side, Fitz voice, singing along with the Proclaimers, drifted out of the trunk where Fitz was wiring up an amplifier. Judging from car’s styling, it belonged to someone who was going to be paying Phil in small, non-serial bills.

Mack shared a smile with Robbie as Fitz continued singing. He’d gotten more work done that day than in the past week. Being in love and being loved was good for the guy.

_Pot, Kettle_ the Rider said in Robbie’s brain, but it was without malice. As far as Robbie could tell, the Rider was completely on board with Daisy being a part of their lives. Maybe it was because she was powered now, or because Robbie was on a more even keel with her around. It didn’t matter in the end. It just felt good not to have two half-lives that were firmly divided. Not only did the Rider not mind Daisy, but she also seemed not to mind the Rider.

It was a peace he couldn’t have imagined existing not very long ago.

“Hey Fitz,” Mack called.

Fitz popped up from the trunk. “Yeah?”

“Is Jemma coming by with coffee today?”

Robbie rolled his eyes, but Fitz lit up. “Yeah, yeah,” he said. “Soon. She told me this morning she’d be over at the usual time.”

Mack’s brow shot up. “She told you this morning, huh?”

Fitz’s face flamed red. “Um…that is…we…mobile?”

“Sure,” Robbie said. “And I’m the Queen of England. Is she going to be walking funny when she gets here?”

Fitz’s face was practically glowing. “Y-y-you’re one to talk!”

Robbie snorted. “Me? You were the one practically naked with Jemma on the hood of a car.”

Mack set down his socket wrench. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, what happened?”

“Nothing,” Fitz said quickly before ducking down again.

Robbie chuckled. “It was only nothing because Daisy and I walked in on them. They were totally about to hump each other’s brains out.”

“I think that’s going around,” Mack said, eying Robbie. “It seems like you and Daisy are joined at the hip.”

“She’s at my place most nights,” Robbie said, frowning at a bolt that wasn’t turning.

“And you’re at hers on the others,” Fitz piped up, keeping himself out of sight, which was probably wise.

“Is it hers or yours?” Mack asked Fitz.

“Hers. Mine looks like I never properly lived there, and her place is very homey. British homey. She’s got so much tea.” He sighed dreamily. “At the end of the month, no matter what happens…um…I…I’m going live there all the time.”

Robbie shook his head, then glared at what had to be a stripped bolt. Mack wandered over towards Fitz and Robbie very distinctly heard the word ring, which was when he promptly stopped listening. Because he loved Daisy beyond all reason, but moving past where they were right now was a terrifying idea. He didn’t have forever, and it didn’t feel right to ask Daisy to—

_Pussy_ , the Rider hissed.

_Oh, sure_ , he shot back. _I’m telling Daisy you used that as a put-down_.

The Rider did a mental blink. _Fine._ _You’re a coward_.

_That’s better, now help me with this fucking bolt._ Heat surged down Robbie’s arm, through the wrench, and into the bolt, melting it enough to get it out. He didn’t have the kind of control to keep the bolt intact, so he’d need a new one when he went to put the AC belt back on. He held up the now twisted bit of metal.

“Hey,” Phil said, walking out of his office.

Robbie fumbled the bolt and stuck it in his pocket. “What’s up?”

“Come here, guys.” Phil’s face was closed off, which meant bad news. Robbie walked over, and Mack and Fitz followed. “Hey, Mack, this is probably only going to surprise you.”

Fitz’s eyes met Robbie’s. Shit. Hartlife.

“Coulson?” Mack asked, puzzled. He’d obviously picked up on the dark mood that’d invaded the room.

“I just got a call. Someone’s trying to get me to sell the garage. They…weren’t nice.” He heaved a sigh. “At all. They didn’t get anywhere with me, but there was a lot of money on the table before I hung up on the guy. Now I own this place outright, and May owns hers. Fitz, does Jemma own the clinic’s building?”

“Yeah,” Fitz said. “But it’s mortgaged.”

Everyone jumped as an outside door opened. Phil put on the face he wore for customers, but it quickly slipped as a sobbing Elena walked in. She was cradling two bouquets of roses, and she shoved them into Robbie and Fitz’s hands before collapsing against Mack’s arms.

He wrapped her up tight.

“Elena?” Phil asked.

“I lost my lease,” she said. “The building was sold, and they’re kicking us out. Piper is marking everything down right now.”

Mack made a disgusted noise.

Robbie inhaled the sweet fragrance of the gorgeous bouquet of peach and pink roses he was holding. The one in Fitz’s hands was all deep reds, the buds just opening.

“Those are my best sellers,” Elena said around her tears. “Give them to your girls. Please. I want to see my flowers make people happy.” She clung harder to Mack.

The Rider seethed inside Robbie, but there was nobody to go after, not at the moment. He couldn’t even punch the wall, because he was holding a god damned flower bouquet.

“Is there anything we can do?” Mack asked, looking at Phil.

Phil nodded slowly. “We are, Mack. It’s all tied into Hartlife and Jemma and Trip’s clinic. Me, May, Daisy, Robbie, Fitz, Jemma, and Trip, we’ve been working on this.”

“How?”

Phil sighed and looked at Robbie. “I’m not sure some of that is mine to tell.”

“Do it,” Robbie said. “It’s hope. We all need hope.”

“And Daisy?”

“She’ll be fine with it.”

Mack rubbed his face, his other arm still holding Elena close. “I knew all of you were up to something.”

The door opened again, letting in Daisy and Jemma with their drinks. They both paused and stared at the knot of people in the middle of the garage.

Phil went over to retrieve his drink. “Bad day. Hartlife is trying to buy up the block. Elena lost her lease.”

Jemma made a face. “We got a call at the clinic this morning from an investor, which I promptly hung up on.” She set the cups she was holding down on a tool chest. “Could they buy our mortgage?” she said quietly.

“Maybe,” Phil hedged. “It’s all a power move. Luckily, we got out own powers, which I was about to fill Mack and Elena in on. If that’s okay, Daisy.”

“Yeah,” she said.  “They’re family.”

Robbie wanted to kiss her. Instead, after Mack and Elena took their drinks and headed for Phil’s office, Robbie held out the bouquet of roses in his hands to Daisy.

Fitz had already done the same to Jemma, and she was hauling him by his sleeve towards one of the empty offices, their drinks forgotten on a tool chest. It left him and Daisy alone.

“Do you like them?” he asked as Daisy buried her nose among the blooms.

“Yes, I’m guessing Elena brought them over?”

“Yeah.” He watched as she traced a finger over the outer edge of a few petals.

Daisy looked up at him. “It all feels real again. For like, I don’t know, a day, I almost forgot how serious this all was.”

“I hate that you were reminded.” He really did.

There was a loud siren outside as a fire truck went by.

Daisy carefully set the flowers down, but she didn’t pick up her drink, just held out her arms to him. Robbie swept her into a hug.

“It’s going to be alright, chica.” He held her close. “I’m going to make it right.”

“Distract me?” she asked, her voice betraying how close to tears she was.

“Couldn’t you have asked earlier? Fitz-Simmons already claimed the best office to have a nooner in.”

Daisy’s nose scrunched up. “Did you have to say that out loud? I was fine with imagining they were discussing black holes or something…y’know, in private, while their drinks get cold.” She held up a hand as she stepped back. “And low hanging fruit with ‘black holes’ so don’t even try. Just show me what you’re working on?”

Another siren went by as Robbie nodded. He’d love to explain what he was doing to her.

Robbie sipped his coffee and pointed out the work he was doing on the Passat. Daisy, mocha in hand, was all smiles when he allowed her to operate the lift and lower the car back down so he could start on the belt that needed to be changed.

Robbie chugged the rest of his coffee, threw away the cup, and grabbed a wrench.

The door to Phil’s office flew open, and he marched out, phone in hand. Elena and Mack, holding hands, followed. They seemed to be avoiding looking straight at Robbie and Daisy. Not that he could blame them. Phil hurried over to Daisy.

“May just called,” he said, handing his phone to Daisy. Robbie looked over her shoulder. It was a live news broadcast. A building with a laundromat on the first floor was going up in flames.

Oh, _fuck_.

The floor rumbled, and the tools in the chests rattled. The teas Jemma had left out crashed to the floor.

“Hey, Tremors,” Mack said. “What’s up?”

The shaking stopped, and Daisy looked at Mack. “Too late, I’m already Quake.” Robbie rubbed her arms. “And my apartment building is burning.”

“Do you need to go?” Elena asked.

“What’s happened?” Jemma asked as she emerged from the back with Fitz, who looked a little dazed. There was lipstick on his neck. Jemma would have looked neat as always, except her shirt was on inside out.

“My apartment’s burning,” Daisy said, no emotion in her voice. Jemma put a hand over her mouth, and Fitz picked up a wrench and sent it hurtling into a wall.

“It’s a message, isn’t it?” Jemma said quietly into the silence that followed the clatter of the wrench.

Phil nodded. His phone rang, and he put it on speaker. “May?”

“I asked my sources. They’re pretty sure is a scare tactic, and that the calls to sell will happen again tomorrow, or at least sometime soon.” 

“It’s two days to the Gala,” Robbie said.

“They might wait until after that now,” May said. “Or they might strike again while we’re scared to try and finish things. I can get hotel rooms for everyone tonight if you’ll feel safer.”

“I don’t think Mack and Elena’s home will be targeted,” Phil replied. “Not yet.”

“I’ll protect mine,” Robbie growled.

Fitz was holding Jemma. “We’ll stay at my place,” Fitz said. “We never do. They won’t look for us there since I’m a subletter. And we can work on the tech for the Gala.”

“I have my usual flat over the coffee shop,” May said. “I won’t be scared out of it. So we’re settled then. Everyone be extra careful.” The call ended.

“What about you?” Mack asked Phil, who’s cheeks turned slightly pink.

“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I know where I’m sleeping.”

Robbie would have smiled at Phil because he doubted May would be alone tonight, but he was too worried about Daisy.

He tugged her to the side. “I’m sorry about your home.”

Daisy sighed. “It wasn’t much of a home. That’s…that’s where you are, Robbie. And I didn’t have a ton of stuff there. I guess it saved me from having to eventually haul that old mattress to the dump.”

Robbie laughed softly. “It was terrible.”

Her dress for the Gala was at his place, along with most of her stuff like makeup, clothes, and shoes. She didn’t have photo albums. Everything like that was on her phone.

“What should I do now?” Daisy asked.

Robbie took her hands. “We’re going to go to your building and see if anyone watching it looks familiar. And then call to make sure your utilities stop charging you.”

“That’s very practical of you,” she sniffed.

“I’m going to take care of you.”

Daisy looked up at him, her eyes smudged from her running mascara. “I don’t need a hero.”

“Good thing I’m not one.”

Her smile warmed him all the way to his toes.

****

They found room for the Charger on a street three blocks over from Daisy’s building. Even on foot, they couldn’t get much closer. There were police and firefighters everywhere, and even telling the cops that it was Daisy’s place that was burning didn’t get them through any of the makeshift barriers.

All they could see was a smidgen of the building, and ladder truck pumping water onto the blaze.

An ambulance was on scene, with an elderly woman sitting in the back, and oxygen mask strapped to her face and a disgruntled cat in her arms.

Robbie kept an arm around Daisy as they stood there. She was dry-eyed, but he could feel how tense every muscle in her body was.

There was a lot of noise and confusion, centered on the building, along with the horrendous smell of smoke.

A group of reporters quickly gathered, and when a fireman briefly went to speak to them, Robbie could make out the fact that there were no known casualties or injuries, so far, and that the fire was contained to the one building.

Daisy’s tension eased slightly.

“I’m glad nobody’s hurt,” she said softly. “I don’t care that much about things, but if someone innocent had been killed…” she trailed off and held onto Robbie.

“Lives that are not innocent will pay in blood,” he said, kissing her temple.

There was shouting, and a huge plume of smoke erupted as part of the building caved in.

Daisy leaned against him. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything more romantic.”


	17. Fireworks

Daisy looked longingly at the coffee cup May was holding. Not wanting to have to run and find a bathroom at the Hartlife Gala, Daisy had begrudgingly cut herself from any more caffeine.

Which was difficult, because they were getting ready in the back of the coffee shop.

Elena was braiding Bobbi’s hair, and Fitz and Hunter were stashed away somewhere making sure the few bits of tech that they were risking bringing in were ready to go.

Daisy was perched on a stool, already in her Gala dress and shoes, while Jemma did her makeup.  

Robbie was in a different room, getting dressed with help from Mack and most likely on the receiving end of a lecture from Phil.

May had told Daisy not to do anything stupid, and that’d been the end of it.

Thankfully.

Daisy was already a riot of nerves. While she and Robbie were going in the front door of the venue—the Guggenheim, of course-- Bobbi and Hunter were going in the back as members of the catering crew. So much was riding on this. Not just Jemma’s clinic, but the lives of countless people in her neighborhood, maybe all over the world. The safety of her friends. Their livelihoods.

A health inspector had turned up at May’s earlier, who she’d not allowed to inspect anything, and who’d left when she’d called the health department. It’d been a scare tactic, an obvious one.  

“All done,” Jemma said. “You look amazing, if I do say so myself.” Daisy turned to face the mirror. Her hair was swept up into a twist, and Jemma had done some amazing things with contouring. Daisy barely recognized herself. “What do you think?” Jemma asked.

“I’m…glamorous.” She carefully curled her berry-stained lips into a smile. “It’s what I used to imagine when I thought of being a star. When I was sitting in yet another foster home that I knew wouldn’t last. I wanted to be on stage, under those bright lights, everybody looking at me.”

“I’m looking at you.” Robbie’s voice was rough, and Daisy turned towards him.

She gasped. “Holy fucking hell, Robbie. Warn a girl.” He smiled shyly. He looked impeccable in his tux, everything was black, even his shirt, vest, and tie. He looked sharp.

“One last thing, mate.” Hunter pushed past him into the room, and Daisy laughed. Hunter’s hair was dyed bright green and sticking up at odd angles, and his catering uniform was frayed, with one side untucked. He settled a pair of small, round sunglasses on Robbie’s face.

Fitz poked his head in the room and jerked a thumb at the glasses. “There’s a camera in those.” He held something out to Jemma, who showed the tiny black hairpin to Daisy before slipping it into Daisy’s updo.

“It’s a panic button,” Jemma said. “If you get in trouble, push it. The cavalry will come for you.”

“What cavalry?” Daisy asked.

Jemma looked at May, who was turned away from them, peering at the pictures of the Hartlife board members that were taped to the wall. She took a sip of her coffee. Daisy wasn’t sure she wanted to know the story of how May had ended up with that name.

Phil walked in. “Bobbi, Hunter, time to go.”

“See you soon,” Bobbi said, and Hunter flipped finger guns at Daisy before rushing down the hall after Bobbi.

Phil stood next to May. “You guys think you’ll recognize your targets?”

“Sure,” Daisy said. “A bunch of old white guys.”

May’s shoulders slumped.

Daisy stood. “I know them, maybe not their names, but I’d recognize them.”

Robbi slammed a fist into the wall under one of the pictures. The label read ‘Brent Tearly, CEO’. The picture was of a square-jawed man, probably in his late 50s, with obviously dyed dark hair. He was scowling at the camera, but in a practiced way that said he had too much money to care about anything. The information May had on him made him look like the biggest ass ever, flying around in a fleet of private jets, owning no less than three yachts, and staging annual corporate meetings like they were circuses. All paid for by regular people that had insurance through Hartlife. Or saw a doctor through a practice owned by Hartlife. Or bought medical equipment or medication for inflated prices from Hartlife.

“If you can only get one, it needs to be him,” May said, and Phil rubbed her back.

“They will burn.” The flames in Robbie’s eyes were visible over the tops of the sunglasses. Daisy’s heart beat faster.

This was happening. She’d been an out of work actress trying to make ends meet with a barista job. Now she was a superhero and had a demonically possessed boyfriend. And a mission. When had she gotten so cool?

Phil’s phone beeped. He checked the screen and smiled. “Your limo’s here.”

****

A million butterflies fluttered in Daisy’s stomach as the limo inched to where they’d be let out. The butterflies weren’t playing well with the bees, and she pressed a hand to her middle.

“Everything alright?” Robbie asked. Of course he didn’t look fazed. Damn him.

“Nerves. I always wanted to walk a red carpet, but I never imagined it like this.”

Robbie put his hand on her knee. “Let me do this. You enjoy the party.” His face was dead earnest.

“Are you insane?”

Robbie frowned. “You do realize what I’m going to do, and if you help, then—”

“Stop right there. I know. I understand. I don’t like it, but sometimes the right thing isn’t going to be pretty. Is this an issue you have with me? Like I’m up on some pedestal that crashes down if I kill someone?”

“No, that’s not, it’s not some stupid purity thing. I don’t want the love of my life to get hurt, and a couple of lessons on self-defense from May isn’t going to mean a lot if things get scary in there.”

“The only thing scary that’s going to be in there is all these old bozos hitting on hot chicks. I don’t think Brent what’s-his-face is going to be pulling some sick ninja moves on us.”

“It’s still not safe.” Robbie’s expression was becoming increasingly stubborn.

Daisy took his hand in hers and drew her finger over his palm. “I know. I know you want to keep me safe. But don’t try to put me in a box to do it. I need to fix this. I know you understand that. I don’t care what they took away from me, because, yeah, it sucked losing my place. I dreamed of having my own tiny New York apartment for years, but this is better. Having a purpose is better. I’m helping people now. Please don’t try to take that away from me.”

He visibly deflated. “Is this how it’s always going to be? That you win?”

“Yes.” She kissed his palm. “And yay, I win!”

Robbie laughed, which made her feel better.

There was a sharp tap on the door, and they scooted over. Robbie ducked his head and met her eyes. “No matter what else happens tonight, enjoy this part.”

Daisy had already been planning on it.

The door opened, and Robbie exited, he held out his hand, and she put hers into it. She slid a leg out and planted her pump firmly on the ground. She exited the limo like she was freaking born to do it. Or at least she hoped she did.

Her feet were on the red carpet, and a handsome man was beside her. Daisy strode down it like she’d done it a thousand times. Like she owned it.

Cameras popped. First a few, then more, and then a lot. There was loud whispering as people tried to figure out who she was. They reached the area set up for posed photos.

Robbie spoke in her ear. “Now what?”

“Put your arm around me, smile a little, and remember you’re better than all of them.”

“Sure,” he whispered. “But you really are better.”

Daisy gave her practiced smile. Everything was exactly how she’d dreamed it’d be. She posed, she pouted, she showed off, and she completely ignored all questions yelled at her.

Once they were past the area for photos, she and Robbie discreetly dodged the few reporters doing interviews—oh my god, was that Amanda Seyfried?—and handed their invitations to the door attendant. He scanned their invitations, unhooked a velvet rope, and ushered her and Robbie into the museum.

It was huge. And white. And very bright.

She tried not to gape.

The Hartlife logo was projected onto the railings of the six levels, blood red against the white.

“It’s like we're in the middle of a tornado of doom,” Daisy said in a low voice.

“Not funny.” Robbie was scanning the crowd. There were tables set up on the ground floor, large round ones with flowers in the center. There was a platform near the stairs that had a podium set up, probably for pontificating, and a smaller stage where a string quartet was warming up.

A flash of green caught her eye, and she elbowed Robbie. He nodded as he caught sight of Hunter as he carefully arranged place settings. When had he learned to do that?

Daisy turned away from the guy and sighed as she watched the ground level start to fill up. “There are so many people here.”

“It’s not as big as it seems.”

He sounded so sure, and Daisy really hoped he was right. “What do we do?”

“Not stand here like idiots. Let’s go look at the art. Or pretend to look at it. We can mingle, sip champagne, be glamorous—”

“And find our targets?”

“Lead the way.”

They nabbed glasses of bubbly from a passing waitress and headed up the stairs to the first level. So far nobody had spoken to them, which suited Daisy fine, but was probably doing crap for their cover.

“Hello!” A young African-American woman with a name tag identifying her as museum staff waved Daisy and Robbie over to a small knot of people forming outside the door to an exhibit. “I’m about to start a tour of this exhibit. It’s all pieces from the museum’s collection, curated by a prominent artist.”

“Sure,” Daisy said, ignoring Robbie’s grumble.

“Excellent, I’m Shanna, welcome to the Guggenheim. If you will all follow me.” She gestured the group to move into the white-walled exhibit space.

“Wait up, sweetheart,” a man called.

Daisy shared a look with Shanna, because: really? But then the guide’s face turned into a sunny smile that was so fake it needed a health warning.

“Daisy,” Robbie said, bumping her elbow. She turned to look at the latecomer, and her heart jumped into her throat. It was one of the board members. She couldn’t remember his name, but it was a bowtie guy. He even had a fancy red one on, and four fingers of whiskey in a glass.

Robbie gripped her arm tightly. She nodded. They’d get him alone. Somehow. The exhibit Shanna directed them into didn’t have a lot of spaces that were hidden from view.  

Shanna led them to a series of sculptures from different artists and launched into an explanation about what influenced the lines of an aerodynamic wooden piece.

Something, something, airplanes.

Robbie brushed his fingers against Daisy’s wrist. He leaned over. “The one at the end has a vacuum cleaner.”

She turned her head and bit her lip to hide her laugh. “What do think it means? That the artist hates vacuums?”

“Maybe that they suck? I could stick a vacuum to a rock and give it a fancy name.”

Daisy turned into his shoulder to hide her laughter. “But you have to have a story about how it represents your inner desire for…something.”

“To vacuum?”

She laughed harder, only managing to compose herself when the group moved onto the paintings. There were orange squares, and bold splatters of paint on a white canvas, and quiet tones of color washed over each other. Daisy and Robbie tried to guess what the artist's inner desire was on each piece.

Robbie examined another series of squares. “I think this guy wanted lunch.”

“Or four square meals a day?”

Daisy found it all incomprehensible until they turned a corner and were confronted by a huge rectangle of fabric with designs that looked burnt in.

“This last artist uses gunpowder,” Shanna said. “In these pieces, the act of creation is as important as the final product. Cai Guo-Qiang understands the fleeting beauty—”

Daisy grabbed Robbie’s hand. “He’s Chinese.” She’d been imaging all the artists looking the same, which just happened to be a lot like the obnoxious board member in their party. It was nice to learn she was wrong. She dragged Robbie closer to the piece of artwork. “The fire and explosion are usually what I think about when someone says gunpowder, but look at everything left behind. It’s beautiful.”

Robbie’s brows drew together as he studied the piece. “I…I think I get it,” he said after a few minutes. “The form is there, the fire touches it, and what’s leftover afterward is different.”

The fabric was hanging on a free-standing wall, and they walked around it to look at more of the artwork by the same artist. Shanna announced the end of the tour, and most of the participants scattered. Except for their target. He followed them around the wall.  

“Shanna,” he called, and she appeared, fake smile in place.

“Can I help you?”

“I want to buy this one.” He pointed at one of the pieces.

“This is a museum,” Shanna said. “It’s not for sale.”

The board member scoffed. “Everything is for sale. Go ask your manager.” Shanna frowned, but the board member simply handed her his empty whiskey glass. “And get rid of that while you’re at it.”

Shanna’s smile became even more forced. “I’ll be back shortly.” She marched off, and Daisy looked at Robbie. It was the perfect opportunity.

“Keep watch,” he said.

Daisy stood just past the edge of the wall, facing the main part of the exhibit. She snorted when she saw Shanna drop the whiskey glass on a waitress's tray, and then walk right back into the exhibit. The artwork was not for sale, and no manager was needed. Only Robbie hadn’t burnt the guy yet. She couldn’t see him, but she could hear the raspy voice of the Rider listing off the board member’s sins. Why was she not surprised at the number of sexual assaults he’d committed?

To keep Shanna from getting back too early, Daisy casually flicked a finger as Shanna walked past the array of abstract, wooden statues. One pedestal tipped over, and Shanna yelped and changed course to catch the statue on it. She cradled it close in her arms, and even petted it.

Daisy didn’t know if she should laugh or be impressed that Shanna liked her job that much.

It must be heavy because when Shanna went to put it back in place, she struggled to lift it, and Daisy ran to help.

“Sorry about putting my hands on the artwork,” Daisy said as they wrestled it back onto where it went.

“I think I’ll forgive you this time.” Shanna wiped her hands on her dress.

“It was a good save.”

“I couldn’t let a Brâncuși hit the floor.”

“Nope.”

“He survived so much and now his art—”

“Hey,” Robbie said, walking up behind Daisy and lightly putting a hand on her lower back. “Shanna, right?” He nodded at her.

“Yes?”

“That jerk who doesn’t understand how museums work took off, something about needing another drink.”

Shanna visibly relaxed. “Good to know. I guess I’m free to start another tour. Check out the other floors if you’d like, there’s a lot more to see, and there are postcards of Cai Guo-Qiang’s work in the gift shop. Thank you for listening to me and for helping.” There was a spring in her step as she headed back to the tour start point.

Robbie’s mouth brushed Daisy’s ear. “One down, five to go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know more about Cai Guo-Qiang and his art, there's a documentary on Netflix called Sky Ladder I highly recommend.


	18. Uncovered

Robbie congratulated himself on his wonderful idea.

He and Daisy had been too conspicuous as they’d followed the board members, none of who’d they managed to get alone. He’d felt like a lion trying to cull wildebeest from the herd. Rich, murderous, wildebeest.

When the CEO had looked in his and Daisy’s direction one too many times, Robbie had tugged her, with the man watching, into an embrace and directed her past a velvet rope into an area where an exhibit was under construction.

White sheets hung from metal scaffolding, enclosing them, and whatever statuary was being worked on was a mystery to Robbie because he only had eyes for Daisy.

Somehow, he’d ended up flat on his back with his tuxedo pants and underwear around his knees. Daisy’s dress was hiked up, and he had his fingers on her pussy, getting her ready.

“I can’t believe these panties,” he whispered, using his pinkie to tug at the fabric of the tiny thong she was wearing. “You walked down that red carpet wearing almost nothing under that dress.”

Daisy grinned. “I had to, but I’m glad you like them.”

“I think it’s me you’re trying to kill.”

She laughed and rotated her hips, pressing herself harder against his fingers. Her clit was a hard knot and probably ached for relief as much as his cock did.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Daisy said, leaning forward to look down into his face.

“They aren’t going to miss us for a few minutes. And it helps our cover.”

“Sure.” Her eyes closed, and Robbie groaned.

Her fingers found his mouth and poked at it. “Hush.”

He sucked on her fingers, and she moaned loudly.

“You hush,” he said, flicking her fingertip with his tongue.

“Just fuck me.”

He wasn’t going to argue with that. Grabbing his cock, he positioned it at her opening and pushed up with his hips just enough to get the head into her. That was enough for her wet heat to light a fire in him. He needed her, and he growled softly as he grabbed her hips.

Daisy dropped down, taking him entirely inside her. “Fuck, Robbie.”

He tugged at her hips. Fucking Robbie was the idea. She slowly rose and lowered herself, and his toes curled in his fancy shoes.

Why did anything else have to be happening? Why couldn’t he bring his girlfriend to a fancy party and fuck her in a back corner without there having to be an ulterior motive?

Daisy moved faster and harder with her lip caught between her teeth. He convinced the fingers of one hand to let go of her and returned them to her pussy, where he found the crotch of her thong pulled tight against her clit. He barely had to push a finger against that nub and Daisy peaked. She gave a tiny squeak as she came, and her pussy milked his cock.

The floor shook for a second, and one of the sheets fluttered down from where it was hanging, landing partly on his face. Thankfully, it was not one of the ones blocking them from view.

Daisy, panting and still moving her hips, lifted it up. “Hey,” she said, grinning.

“Hey,” he grunted. Robbie thrust roughly up into her in case she’d forgotten what they were doing. Daisy’s inner walls clamped down around him, and he was lost. He fucked her roughly, and Daisy had to drop the sheet back on his face as she braced herself against his chest with one hand.

The other was on his face, and her thumb stroked his lips. Robbie’s eyes were squeezed closed, and it didn’t matter something was over his face, he could feel Daisy. His grip on her hip tightened, his body clenched, and he came. Daisy pressed her thumb between his lips, and he sucked hard on it as his release pulsed through him.

It left him far too soon, and he was left being just himself again, his cock softening while he lay on a hard floor half under a cover that smelled like paint.

Daisy snuggled against him and pushed the sheet away. “There you are,” she said, stroking his cheek. “You were hiding, and I found you.” He chuckled softly and ran a hand down her back. “I like my ghost rider, but that ended up a bit too much like I was riding a ghost.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “How long did it take you to come up with that one.”

“Way too long. We better get back to the party.”  With a groan, she stood and worked on straightening her dress. He watched her, fascinated by how intimate it was to see her put herself to rights. It was like he hadn’t touched her. Daisy’s makeup was perfect, which was because she’d stopped him from kissing her. It wasn’t right. He felt almost inside out, and she looked immaculate.

He stood and did up his pants.

“Let me fix your—” Daisy said, as she took a step. Her legs almost went out from under her, and Robbie had to move fast to catch her. Held in his arms, she straightened his fancy clothes. “There,” she said. “You only look a little just fucked.”

Knowing she wasn’t entirely unaffected by him made him feel a lot better. It didn’t matter how unruffled she appeared to everyone else. She knew who’d just made her legs jelly.

Daisy pulled his sunglasses from his pocket, where he’d put them before they’d gotten started because there were some things the team didn’t need to see and settled them on his nose.

“Let’s get the bad guys,” he said, kissing her nose.

Daisy led him out of the under-construction area, past the ropes, and back to where the tables were on the ground floor. There was a loud presentation going on about all the good works Hartlife was supposedly doing—tax write-offs was more like it—which was led by a thin, energetic young man who seemed very excited about the company sending expired medications to developing parts of the world.

Daisy’s hand caught Robbie’s. “Where are the board members?” she asked in a whisper.

His eyes found the table the CEO and his cronies had been occupying. It was empty. Robbie’s stomach dropped. He scanned the room, certain they had to be there.

Nothing. In the sea of faces, there wasn’t a single one of the remaining five men they were hunting. It wasn’t right. This gala was the one place everyone knew all six men would be for an extended period of time. The Rider hummed in his blood, searching for their evil and finding nothing.

There was a round of polite clapping from the tables.

Robbie turned to face Daisy, whose eyes were still darting around. “They’re not here. I can’t sense them.” His voice was high with panic. “Something’s wrong.”

There were hurried footsteps to their left and they wheeled to find Hunter rushing towards them. “Where the fuck have you cunts been?” he hissed. There was fear in his words.

Daisy grabbed Hunter’s arm. “What’s going on?”

“Trip and Gabe missed a check-in, and Jemma’s couldn’t reach them.” Trip was with Gabe at the brownstone, because Robbie hadn’t been comfortable leaving him alone, but Gabe had balked until Trip had volunteered to watch him.

Robbie’s unease melted into terror, which was quickly replaced by a cold calm. “Let me see your phone.”

Hunter handed over his cell, and Robbie dialed the landline. It rang ten times with no answer. He hung up and dialed Trip’s cell phone. There was also no answer. He tried Gabe’s.

“Hello?” Gabe answered on the second ring.

Robbie thought he might be sick from the flood of relief. “Gabe! Are you okay?”

“Sure, we’re just chilling, playing Mario Kart. I’m winning.”

Daisy dropped her head into her hands and let out a deep sigh. Hunter awkwardly patted her back.

“Let me talk to Trip,” Robbie said.

“Okay, but I want to hear about the Gala later.”

“Sure. It’s pretty boring.”

“You’re hanging out with cool people. I want to know. Here’s Trip.” There was a muffled noise as Gabe handed the phone over. Robbie was so going to say something later about evidently not being included in the cool-person list.

“Hey,” Trip said.

“Where the hell have you been? You missed a check-in.” Robbie wanted to throttle his friend.

“Shit,” Trip said. “It is nine, damn, I’m sorry. We’re getting competitive with this game.”

Robbie made a fist. “Gabe’s going to win. Just deal with it.”

“The hell he is.”

“Try playing Princess Peach.” Robbie shook his head. “We’ve been trying the landline, and your cell.”

“They haven’t rung, though my reception here is kind of spotty. And I’ll check the ringer on the landline. It’s probably off or on low, and we didn’t hear it over the game.”

Robbie thought he might have aged five decades in the last few minutes. “Okay, cool, right. I’m glad you’re okay.” It still left the problem of where the board had gotten to. There was a beep, and Robbie checked the screen. It was an incoming call from Phil. “Trip,” Robbie said, “I’m going to talk to Phil for a second, then I’ll be back. Do not hang up.”

“I’ll just be here getting my ass kicked by your brother.”

Daisy was whispering to Hunter about the board members, and he was frowning and searching the room as well.

Robbie switched the call to Phil. “Hello?”

“Hunter?”

“It’s Robbie, I reached Gabe and Trip on Gabe’s cell phone, they’re fine and making sure the landline isn’t on silent. Gabe turns off the ringer a lot because of robocalls.”

“I don’t blame him.” Phil muffled the receiver and updated the others about Gabe. “Okay,” he said, returned to speaking to Robbie. “I’m glad it’s you, we’ve maybe got something. Since you took the glasses off for a while, Fitz and Jemma started scanning through some of the images we already had.”

“Okay.” Robbie was certain Phil knew why the glasses had gone into Robbie’s pocket and was simply being polite. “What did they find?”

“Character number three from the wall, the COO, had something on his phone. Fitz managed to get a good image of it—” In the background, Robbie could hear Fitz pipe up.

“You can’t just yell ‘enhance’ at me, this isn’t a bloody show on the telly.”

Phil sighed. “Anyway, we got a decent look at it and, well…Jemma thinks it’s something to do with the crystals. It reminds her of what’s in the file you and Trip took from Hartlife. It’s specs for a machine with a way to control the mist from the crystals and expose a single person at the time.” There was a pause. “It looks operational. There some other phone screens with less clear images, one might be a video or photo of the machine, and the last looks…well, it looks like genetic data.”

“What? Genetics?”

“Jemma’s wondering if there’s a genetic component to what happened to Daisy.”

“Gabe,” Robbie said. “Hartlife doesn’t know that I didn’t survive the mist and that the Rider isn’t linked to it. They’re going to go after Gabe.” His heart was thudding in his chest. Movement caught his eye. It was Bobbi running up to where Hunter and Daisy were standing. She pulled off her apron and tossed it away. “I’ll call you back.” He switched to the other line, which was still connected.

“Trip?” he asked.

There was silence, and then muffled shouting. “Don’t you fucking touch him!” Trip yelled.

“Robbie!” Gabe yelled. “Robbie!”

The line went dead.

The cold calm settled deeper into him, even as the Rider threatened to break through.

Robbie shot his hand out with the phone in it and handed it to a startled Hunter.

“Bobbi saw one of the board members heading towards a back entrance, or she thinks she did, a few minutes ago,” Daisy said.

“Hartlife is taking Gabe,” Robbie said, his voice thickened with that of the Rider. “We need to leave. The Gala is a diversion.”

“Fuck,” Hunter swore.

Bobbi pointed at Daisy’s head. “Push the emergency call, and we’ll meet May by the curb.”

May had a car. Daisy’s gloves were in there, guns perhaps. He wasn’t going to need guns.

“Hartlife is going to put Gabe in a chamber with the terrigen crystals because they think I survived them.” Robbie marched after Bobbi as they left the party behind. “These bastards are going to watch.”

The excited clapping from the tables was obscene. Nothing Hartlife did was worth applause.

Daisy pulled the hairpin out and pressed the hidden button, hard. “We’ll save them,” she said.

Robbie couldn’t think past the death of anyone who wanted to hurt his brother.

He’d died to save Gabe once, and he’d been pretending he’d found heaven during this last little while with Daisy.

Now it was time to go to hell and bring all of Hartlife along with him.


	19. Making an Entrance

Daisy’s feet hung nearly off the curb and her heart raced, as she stood in a knot with Hunter, Bobbi, and Robbie, and watched for May.

The black sedan she was driving pulled up less than two minutes later, and Daisy ended up in the back between Hunter and Robbie.

“Report,” May said as Bobbi dropped into the passenger seat.

“Head to Robbie’s place, as fast as possible,” Bobbi said. “Hartlife is abducting Gabe.”

The car’s tires squealed as May made gunned the engine.

Daisy took a deep breath to steady herself. “Bobbi, my gloves are by your feet.”

Bobbi handed them back to Daisy. She stared at them for a moment. If she wore them, then she was Quake, not Daisy. Not the coffee girl. Not the woman pretending to be a star for the evening. Quake was someone who saved people, who punished the bad guys.

Daisy pulled one gauntlet down her arm, flexed her fingers, and did the same for the other side. Her hair was trickier. She had to tease out the pins and finger comb out the hairspray as May wove through traffic.

Bobbi handed back an elastic band, and Daisy swept her hair up into a ponytail. Beside her, Robbie was vibrating with emotion. Fear or anger, or maybe both. Below it she could sense the deep undertone of the Rider.

He wanted out.

A horn blared as May cut someone off and darted around a corner.

She wished she had a change of clothes because her little black dress wasn’t going to survive this. Robbie shrugged out of his suit jacket and stripped his vest off. He frowned, then rolled up his sleeves. At any other time, she would have been mesmerized, because hot, but now it felt more like he was prepping for battle.

“You two superheroes ready?” Hunter asked into the dark interior of the car. They were a block away from the brownstone.

“We’ll do what we have to,” Daisy said. There was only a low growl from Robbie.

She gripped his leg.

The streetlights were dark on Robbie’s block. May skidded the sedan to a halt partially on the sidewalk and Robbie had his door open and was out before Daisy could get her seatbelt undone. He was staring at the front door when she joined him.

It was ajar.

Daisy pushed it open with a blast from her fingers. The door banged loudly against the wall, making her jump. The inside of the brownstone was completely silent. The lights were off, and she fumbled for the switch as Robbie strode into the living room.

The bright lights were blinding, and she had to blink a few times as May came rushing into the room, gun in hand. There were calls from Hunter and Bobbi as they cleared the rest of the house.

The living room was a mess, Gabe’s chair was on its side, and it took her a moment to realize that it was a person Robbie was standing next to. A person lying face down on the floor with blood seeped into the carpet beside him.

“Trip,” she yelled, going to her knees. She had to fight through her panic before she could feel the thrum of his heart beating.

She gingerly turned him over, and his eyes opened.

“Hey girl,” he said weakly.

“Trip!”

“You’re not supposed to move an injured person.”

“What happened?” Robbie said, voice flat.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, man. There was a bunch of them, with guns. Took Gabe.” He broke off and coughed, blood appearing on his lips. His hand moved, and she gasped at the tiny hole in his t-shirt. She helped him press his fingers to the site again.  

“May, we need an ambulance.” Daisy glanced up to see May already on her phone.

“I think I’m developing a hemothorax,” Trip said. “It sucks.”

“Don’t die.”

He made a face. “I wasn’t planning on it. I just need a chest tube and a couple of days.”

“Do you know where they were going?” Robbie asked.

“Like they told me.” Trip coughed again.

May knelt beside him. “Trip, hey, it’s May.”

“Damn, I need a coffee.”

She took his hand. “Next one’s on the house. But right now, I need you to think. They might not have told you where they were going, but they would have known. Did someone speak on a radio or phone? There would be people they’re meeting.”

Trip’s face scrunched up. Daisy took his other hand but didn’t say anything. Robbie was still standing. Abruptly, he turned and walked over to the wheelchair. He righted it without a sound.

“I’m thinking,” Trip said. His breathing was growing labored. “All I can remember was one dude on a cell phone. Said something about he knew better than to come in the front entrance, they’d use the parking garage and head for the subbasements with the labs.” He paused. “It’s probably the Hartlife building. Robbie knows, that thing goes down further than it goes up.”

Daisy squeezed Trip’s hand one more time before standing and looking at Robbie. “It’s our best bet.”

“It seems too easy,” Robbie said.

“Yeah, probably, but what else are we going to do?”

Orange fire shone in Robbie’s eyes, which were still partially hidden behind the sunglasses. “Let’s go.” She had to run to keep up with him as they brushed past Bobbi, who was watching the front door, still in her waitress outfit. Daisy wondered if the gun in her hand had been on her the entire time they’d been at the Gala.

The Hellcharger was already running, and its doors swung open as Daisy and Robbie reached it.

“Neat trick,” Bobbi called to him, but all Daisy could do was wave before hopping in.

They pulled onto the road, passing an ambulance with its lights on, which Daisy hoped was for Trip. She wouldn’t know until later.

Robbie floored the gas pedal, running red lights as they headed for Manhattan. His jaw was set, and she didn’t think he was going to be open for any plan beyond storming the building and getting Gabe back.

She leaned her head against the window, drinking in the feeling of the Hellcharger’s engine and pushing herself to feel beyond that.

New York City felt alive. She could feel its rhythms, all the different tiny vibrations that existed and coalesced into the hum that sang of the city to her. Different beats for different languages. The harmony of a violin from one subway station and the pulse of a steel drum from the next.

There were so many people on the sidewalks, all going about their business. How could any one of them, like that mother tugging her child along, hope to stand up to the systemic evil that was Hartlife? Was that man yelling on the phone and kicking his car’s tire while its engine smoked supposed to end corporate greed? The kinds of evil they committed or fought were so small. People eating lunches that weren’t theirs out of the fridge at work. Or not paying for a subway ticket. It was all so…tiny.

How could any of them stop a multinational megacorporation with a bottomless well of money? How were she and Robbie supposed to do it, for that matter?

They’d already been outplayed more than once by Hartlife.

A warm hand landed on her knee.

“Whatever you’re thinking, stop,” Robbie said, the growl of the Rider in his voice. “We’re going to stop this tonight. We’re going to get Gabe back and end this once and for all.” 

“There are probably a dozen other Hartlifes,” she said quietly.

“Yeah, but this is the one we’re taking care of tonight. It doesn’t matter that we’re not ending all the stupid shit every scumbag in the world is doing. We start here.”

Daisy looked at him and how he was glaring at the road.  “Cool.” She could borrow that conviction for at least tonight. “What happens tomorrow?”

“We go back to being a barista and a mechanic. For a while. We watch the news. We see if anything changes. Trip gets better. He and Jemma run their clinic. They help people in their way. And when we need to, we do things our way.”

“Our way. I like that. Our way is pretty badass.”

Flames licked along the edges of the Hellcharger’s hood as Robbie smiled darkly. “It is, chica.”

****

They left the Hellcharger idling in front of the Hartlife building. The area around the building appeared deserted. No cars or people. It was…unsettling.

Daisy marched beside Robbie to the front doors of the building. They didn’t swish open.

“Your turn,” Robbie said, stepping aside.

Daisy raised a hand and blew the doors off their hinges. They shattered against the fountain that dominated the atrium of the building.

Robbie walked in.

“They have to know we’re here,” she said. “That was the opposite of subtle.”

Robbie cocked his head as he looked at the far side of the atrium. “They know, and they want to stall us.”

A man appeared, his face passive. Daisy recognized him.

“Mr. Tearly,” she said.

He stopped, still well away from her and Robbie. “I see you two have done a little redecorating,” the CEO said.

Daisy took Robbie’s hand, squeezing it as neither she nor he made a reply.

“I understand your concern but don’t worry. The boy is unharmed.”

A deep rumble passed through Robbie.

“I’m here to make a deal with you,” Tearly said. “We want to know about you and what the crystals did to you. I’ve got paperwork in my office for both of you to sign. You will be granted 50 million each. There’s some medical testing to undergo, but you won’t be hurt.”

Daisy laughed loudly. “As if. We already killed one of your board members.”

“That was unfortunate,” Mr. Tearly said. “But not a huge loss. Ted was never the best nor brightest. We’ll need someone new. Perhaps you have a suggestion? A person with advanced medical knowledge?”

Daisy blinked. Was this guy for real? He’d had Trip shot, and now he was suggesting that Daisy and Robbie could nominate the next board member?

“Wow,” she breathed. This was a special level of hubris she hadn’t known existed.

“Perhaps it’s not enough? I can provide you with new homes. Tropical islands, European castles, penthouses that overlook Central Park.”

“If I couldn’t feel that he’s alive, I’d think he was a robot,” Daisy said quietly to Robbie. “This isn’t human.”

Robbie’s fists clenched. “I will return for you, Brent Tearly. Your list of sins is long. The demon in me will have it’s due.” Robbie started walking, and Daisy matched his stride.

The CEO’s face paled. “Wait…but there’s more.”

“You’re a distraction, and we’re not stupid,” Robbie said as they headed towards a door she supposed led downward. “Fifty million?”

Tearly jumped out of their way as they walked past him. He sputtered a few more things, but Daisy tuned him out. “I guess we know how they see us. Money over family.”

“It’s not us they see,” Robbie said as Daisy blasted the door to the basement open. “It’s themselves. They’d sell out. Therefore, they expect all of us to as well.”

“Gross.”

Robbie nodded as they both trotted down the steps. They hadn’t gone far when there were many feet on the stairs heading upwards.

“Daisy,” Robbie said on a landing, grabbing the back of her dress to stop her. “Bottleneck. They think it’s to their advantage. Show them otherwise.”

She nodded.

Right. She could do this. They stayed back, listening to the security forces’ footfalls get louder.

“Now,” Robbie said, and Daisy turned to face down the next flight of stairs. It felt like everything happened in slow motion. The guards in their black uniforms saw her and started to raise their weapons, but she was faster. Her weapon was always ready.

The blast knocked them aside like bowling pins.

Nobody got back up.

Daisy didn’t stop to check on anyone. She simply ran down the steps, Robbie at her heels.

Robbie opened a door after another five flights down. “Here,” he said. “This floor.” He opened the door, then pulled off the glasses and dropped them in his pocket. The flames took him over, and Daisy was awed when the Rider stood in front of her.

“You are pretty tonight,” he said to her.

Daisy laughed, then yelped as a bullet hit the wall by her head. The Rider spun and was around the corner where the shot had come from in seconds. There were two screams. They cut off quickly.

“Thank you,” she said when the Rider returned.

He nodded. “This way.” With a gloved finger, he pointed down one of the dark hallways. “Ladies first.”

Daisy raised a hand. “I thought you’d never ask.”


	20. Rocket's Red Glare

There were a lot of things Robbie wanted.

Very few were for himself. Those had mostly stopped when he’d died.

Until Daisy.

Now he wanted a million more morning with her and endless afternoon coffee dates. He wanted to visit Gabe at college, and sit on a beach and watch the waves roll in.

When Daisy had asked about the future, he’d told her his dream, which was mostly just being together.

 _Keep her safe_ , he railed at the Rider, who was currently in control.

To his surprise, the Rider’s response was an effort to soothe him. _She is strong and fierce, and she is ours._

Robbie couldn’t argue that. Daisy’s power was nearly palpable as they strode down the hallway towards a set of double doors. Blue light flickered around them, and he could feel the men waiting on the other side for them.

“They are prepared,” the Rider growled.

“Duh,” was Daisy’s response. “Mr. Big-Shot would have told them.”

Chains unfurled from his hands, fire dancing along them. “Open the doors.”

Daisy goggled at him. “Whoa. I did not know about the chains.”

“Door,” the Rider reiterated, and even if Robbie preened a little about that ‘whoa’, he agreed with the Rider. It was time for action. His brother was in that room.

After one last lip bite and her eyes sweeping up and down, Daisy pivoted towards the double doors and raised her hands. “Can you tell where Gabe is? I don’t want to send these flying if I’m going to hit him.”

The Rider paused, then growled a negative. Robbie hated being a passenger when Gabe’s life was on the line, but this was what he did. What he was.

“Right,” Daisy mumbled. “Okay, Mr. En Flambé, I’m opening, and you go in first.”

She blasted the doors just hard enough to open them but leave them on their hinges. One sagged awkwardly to the side. Fine, leave them mostly on their hinges.

Robbie took stock of the situation as the Rider strode into the room.

“I fucking told you!” Gabe crowed. He was strapped into the ugliest wheelchair Robbie had ever seen, like a folding chair on casters, and looked very smug. He was also behind the rest of Hartlife’s board members, as well as several lab-coated scientists, and therefore safe from the bullets of the security officers that were arrayed in a semi-circle in front of him. The chamber, the one for exposing people to the blue mist, was against the far wall of the large room. It was glowing with energy.

The Rider ducked and lashed out with a chain while Daisy sent a wave of energy that sent half the men flying.  She took cover behind a table as Gabe cheered. The man the Rider’s chain had curled around was screaming as he was judged and dispatched to where he belonged.

The satisfaction Robbie felt at the riddance disappeared when the Rider looked up and saw Gabe.

_Fuck._

His brother didn’t need to know this about him. Didn’t need to know Robbie killed.

Gabe didn’t appear shocked, in fact, he was still wearing a cocky smile, but Robbie exerted enough effort to push the Rider down until Robbie was wearing his own skin again and was in control.

“Gabe,” he yelled as Daisy sent a flipped table crashing into the guards.

“I’m—” Gabe broke off and screamed as one of the board members grabbed his chair.

The man snarled. “Back off, or the kid dies.” He pushed the chair towards the chamber while Gabe did his best to punch him.

“Gabe!” Robbie hollered, using his chain to slam a guard into the ground.

“Go,” Daisy barked at Robbie. “I’ve got this.” A security guard on the floor grabbed a gun and tried to raise it. A blast of power smacked it away before the muzzle was anywhere near pointing in Daisy’s direction. She did have this.

He ran, chains clearing a path as he vaulted over a table.

Gabe was shouting and far too close to the chamber. He’d be in it if the wheelchair he was in wasn’t a hard to control piece of crap

It was a good thing these weasels weren’t into being compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

“Gabe, close your eyes,” Robbie said. The Rider was right below the surface, and the flames along the chains surged higher.

Gabe went quiet and squeezed his eyes shut.

Robbie’s chain settled around the geezer who had his hands on the chair, tight enough he couldn’t scream as he disintegrated.

Daisy was suddenly beside Robbie. She kissed his cheek and went to Gabe, pulling him away from the chamber and speaking in a quiet voice to him about something. Robbie turned to the remaining three board members.

“I have money,” one of them simpered. “Anything you want. Power, women, a yacht.”

Robbie laughed, the sound rough with the Rider being so close to the surface. “I’m not you. I never will be. I want my family. The one woman I love. And why the hell would you think someone possessed by a vengeance demon, who’s made of fire, would want a yacht? All I want is your souls.”

They died easily, along with the two scientists. Robbie had been hoping they men in lab coats would be innocent, but they’d been complacent in the deaths of several dozen people in the testing of the chamber and the crystals. Seeing in their minds who they considered “disposable” was not something he was ever going to forget.

Work done, the Rider receded completely, taking the chains with him.

Robbie picked his way over to where Daisy and Gabe were peering at a computer monitor. He put a hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“What?” Gabe said. “That was seriously cool. Quake was awesome, like Avenger-level awesome, and I know you wouldn’t have burned anyone who didn’t deserve it.” He returned to typing on the keyboard.

“We were pretty badass,” Daisy said to him, then pointed at the screen. “Try this file.”

“What are you two doing?” Robbie asked.

“I used to write computer code, in high school,” Daisy said. “And Gabe is a million times better than me. We’re taking some old stuff I had, upgrading it and sending it in to destroy every Hartlife database. Nothing of the crystals or this contraption is going to be left, or any of their records of anything else. Like bills.”

“We’re not good enough to be that specific, so we’re destroying everything,” Gabe said cheerfully. Robbie patted his shoulder. “And it’s self-replicating. So we’ll be good to go in like ten seconds.”

“Good, because Tearly is still around, and I bet he’s calling for back up.”

Daisy looked up. “Do they have back up? Because there weren’t that many people here. I think they were trying to keep this a secret as possible, and it’s not like they could entirely run their private army with nobody noticing.”

“That shit’s just in movies,” Gabe said, with a silent glare of “duh”.

“I don’t think they had any real idea what we could do,” Daisy said. “Bringing bullets to a superhuman fight is a rookie mistake.”

Gabe laughed, tapped a last key, and held his hands up. “Done.”

Robbie grabbed the wheelchair to move it since it had tiny wheels and didn’t allow Gabe to move himself. It’d didn’t budge. “Does it have brakes?”

“The bar,” Gabe grumbled.

There was a separate bar by the handle, and it had to be held down continuously for the wheels to roll. He followed behind a wary Daisy, heading for the elevators.  It was the worst designed chair Robbie had ever seen. “Do you think Fitz could fix this thing?” he asked between clenched teeth as he attempted to maneuver the absurdly tiny wheels over the gap between the floor and the elevator car without getting stuck.

It was a lot of effort.

The car stopped in the lobby, and Robbie had to repeat the process to get out. Not that Daisy or Gabe noticed, they were chatting nonstop about python and he was mostly sure that they didn’t mean the animal.

A black-suited figure rose from where he was sitting by the fountain, surprise etched on his face, and his cell phone clutched in his hand.

“Surprise!” Daisy said with a huge grin.

Tearly looked past them as if he expected someone else to follow with an explanation.

“They’re gone,” Robbie said, letting go of Gabe’s chair and heading for the CEO. It was time for him to pay for his sins.

Robbie’s footsteps were loud on the floor, and the sound of the fountain was a bright tinkling, far too cheery for a hellhole like this. He could smell the chemical-laced scent of the water. The crap that kept anything from growing in it.

Tearly raised a hand, his face resigned.

A popping noises, followed by a hiss, had Robbie looking up and to his left

 “Robbie!” Daisy screamed.

He spun back to her back at her, she had her hand extended, arm shaking with effort. His eyes followed where she was focusing. It was a rocket, suspended in midflight.  A black-clad man, holding the launcher and wearing a look of shock. He turned, dropped the launcher with a clang, and fled.

Tearly laughed as Robbie spun and dashed for Gabe, who was undoing himself from the chair. The acrid smell of the burning rocket fuel curled through the air.

“Last resort,” Tearly yelled. “I go, but you go down with me. You can’t hold it forever.”

Robbie didn’t bother responding. Fuck that guy. He picked Gabe up and bolted for the door. Daisy was walking backward. Her entire body shuddering with the strain.

Tearly’s expression went from triumph to disbelief as Robbie and Daisy reached the blown-out front doors.

“You tried to kill me,” Daisy said. “But you only signed your own death warrant.”

They stepped through the rubble, the broken glass crunching under their feet.

“I can’t,” Daisy whispered a few feet on the other side of the doors.  Her legs buckled. Robbie dropped to one knee and curled around her and Gabe as the RPG round hit the ground and exploded. With the glass already gone, the shockwave buffeted them, but it was no danger to the Rider.

Once it was past, Robbie stood, Gabe still in his arms, and walked quickly to the Hellcharger, Daisy stumbling along behind them. The building was creaking ominously.

“I’m taking it down,” Daisy said while Robbie set Gabe in the backseat.

Robbie barely had time to straighten up before Daisy, pain and exhaustion tightening the lines of her face, raised her hands.

The ground shook, concrete gave way, and metal popped. The building disappeared as a wall of dust rose. It coated them, leaving behind a harsh taste and making Robbie cough.

Hartlife was nothing but rubble. The huge building collapsed down into its basements.

Daisy whimpered and fell, Robbie catching her before she hit the concrete. He placed her into the passenger seat of the Hellcharger.

“Is she okay?” Gabe asked when Robbie slid behind the wheel and started the engine.

“Yeah, I think so. We’ll go find Jemma and have her make sure.”

Gabe was quiet for a few moments as Robbie pushed the gas down, getting the heck away from the building as police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks converged on it with their sirens wailing.

“Hey,” he finally said. “Is Trip okay?”

“He will be,” Robbie said, reaching over to stroke a finger over Daisy’s leg.

“I think he got shot. For me.”

“He’s going to be okay.”

Gabe’s guilt was almost palpable. “It’s my fault.”

“It’s not.” Robbie gestured to himself. “Vengeance demon. I swear the Rider doesn’t think you’ve done a thing.”

“Thank you.” Gabe slumped forward against the seatbelt. “That sucked.”

“It did. We’ll get you someone to talk to about it, okay?”  Robbie sucked in a breath. “Look, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t see some of what the Rider…what I do.”

“Nah, that part doesn’t bother me.  Don’t sweat it, bro.”

Robbie nodded and darted a glance at Daisy. His brother and his girlfriend seemed to think he was pretty cool, and they were both smart.

Maybe it was time he believed them.

Hartlife was gone.

 _We did good,_ the Rider purred.

_Yeah. We did._

When Daisy was rested, Robbie was going to show her how thankful he was that she always believed in him, even when he didn’t.

Daisy was special. His north star. His bright light in the darkness.

His home.


	21. Epilogue

_Six-Weeks Later_

***

The bell over the door to May’s coffee shop rang brightly.

Daisy looked around the line of customers, and greeted one of her regular customers in smooth Mandarin. There was a lot Daisy still needed to learn but greeting, coffee orders, and numbers were second nature now. She’d get there now that she had her own battalion of Chinatown aunties who seemed determined to help her.

She was also watching Chinese TV shows with Robbie and Gabe to practice, and Gabe was picking it up fast as well. Robbie somehow managed to have a thick Spanish accent on any Mandarin he tried to speak, which Gabe—and she—thought was hilarious.

It was all normal. Normal day after normal day.

She loved it.

Hartlife was well and truly gone. Their stock had been delisted, and nobody seemed eager to fill their shoes. The magically disappearing bills had been a godsend for a lot of families, and sometimes Daisy would scroll Twitter to read stories of people saved from homelessness or going hungry by no longer owing the megacorporation money.

It made her feel like she’d truly made a difference. She’d touched so many people’s lives, even if they’d never know it was her.

A few Wallstreet types had had to sell their second yachts or private islands to make up for the losses, but she wasn’t going to cry over them.

Davis called out an order, and Daisy punched in the next request. She stretched her calf as she did so. The previous night had been busy, she and Robbie having gone out together to take down an impressively large meth manufacturer.  Ghost Rider and Quake had demolished the place, but now she was stiff from a few of the more acrobatic moves. Hopefully, May wouldn’t notice, or Daisy would get a lecture about loosening up beforehand.

Daisy loved these nights, though they weren’t happening as often as they had before Daisy had moved into the brownstone with Robbie and Gabe permanently. Apparently, the Rider was less restless when she was around. That was an odd thought. 

This lunch rush hour had stretched to two, and when Jemma entered, she frowned at the line.

“I’ve already got yours ready,” Davis called, setting two drink carriers on the counter.

Daisy shrugged at Jemma. There was no way she could leave with this line.

“I’ve got it,” May said, emerging from her office. “I was just talking to Phil. We’re going to organize a community event together for later in the summer and he reminded me it was almost coffee time.”

Daisy relinquished the register but then realized they were one drink short and she hastily made a white chocolate mocha for Phil.

In the garage, the guys immediate stopped what they were doing to crowd around for drinks, and Elena entered a moment later. With Hartlife rubble, the owners of her shop had begged her to re-sign her lease. She had, but only after negotiating a much better deal.

Robbie put an arm around Daisy after all the drinks had been handed out.

“How’s Trip doing?” Daisy asked Jemma. He’d only been back at the clinic for a few days.

“Good, he nearly shoved me out the door today. I think I’m hovering.” She looked very unapologetic about it. “He’ll be fine.”

“Good,” Robbie rumbled. “Gabe’s going to be thrilled to hear that.”

Gabe had talked to Trip on the phone several times, on the advice of his therapist, but Trip had been a little cagey about how he was doing. Knowing he was back at work and okay would be good for Gabe.

Fitz whispered something in Jemma’s ear, and she shivered slightly but then smiled. “Fitz is telling me I need to go ahead and let you all know that our wedding is going to be moved up by quite a bit, and we’re doing away with a lot of the fancy stuff.” Jemma’s happy face belied her words. Daisy had heard endless chatter about the honeymoon Jemma had booked, and the upstate arboretum she’d picked for the ceremony. There’d been a lot of wedding magazines.

It made Daisy imagine her own, far off, wedding sometimes. The details, like what kind of dress, weren’t nearly as important as the people she knew would be there. She wanted all these people she’d come to love with her. However, the bridesmaid dresses she’d choose would be so much cuter.

“But—” Daisy started, realizing all the planning Jemma had been doing had been tossed out the window.

“She’s pregnant,” Phil said around a mouthful of white chocolate mocha.

Both Fitz and Jemma’s faces turned red. “Well, yes,” Jemma confirmed.

A _baby_?

Daisy squealed and hugged Jemma. “This is so exciting! I’m so happy for you.” She leaned back as a Rolodex worth of arrangements she’d been helping Jemma make spun through her mind. “But what about your honeymoon? Can you change it?”

Jemma pursed her lips. “I’ll be having a baby right around then.”

Daisy giggled as she did the math. “Oh my god. For two smart people—”

“It’s wonderful,” Jemma said, while Fitz turned even redder and appeared to want the floor to swallow him. “But it does mean we have a package trip to Hawaii that’s already paid for that we can’t go on.”

“We want you and Robbie to have it,” Fitz blurted.

Daisy was stunned. Her? She glanced at Robbie, who looked just as bewildered. “What about Mack and Elena?” she asked. They’d been together a lot longer.

“Jemma didn’t tell us why she and Fitz couldn’t go, but she already talked to us about it,” Mack said with an easy smile.

Elena grinned. “You two deserve a reward. We’re going to make sure Gabe eats his veggies while you’re gone.”

Daisy had to wipe at her eyes. Hawaii? Ten days doing…nothing? In the sun?

“Thank you,” Robbie said. His face was stunned. “I…thank you.” He set his cup down and rubbed at his eyes too.

“Yes, thank you,” Daisy echoed. “But no having the baby when I’m not here.”

****

_Seven Months Later, Hawaii_

Daisy needn’t have worried, as Jemma delivered a very healthy baby girl a week before the Hawaii trip.

Robbie had been a little weird right after Jemma had announced her pregnancy, but it wasn’t until the night of the Fitz-Simmons wedding that Daisy had been able to get him to confess that he was uptight about what Daisy might want, when he didn’t entirely have all of himself to give because of the Rider.

Daisy had cleared that up real quick. Homes could be broken so easily, and children weren’t remotely on her radar yet, even if Emily Rose FitzSimmons was the cutest baby on earth. Marriage and children could wait for a long, long time. Daisy liked what she had right now.

“Jemma just sent a new pic,” Daisy said, holding her phone out towards Robbie. He was lying on the beach towel beside her, his eyes closed. The surf on the resort’s private beach wasn’t too high today, which was good because she and Robbie had surf lessons that afternoon.

Bobbi and Hunter might also be there for that lesson. Somehow, they’d managed to take a similar vacation at exactly the same time as Daisy and Robbie. Daisy didn’t want to accuse May of keeping an eye on her and Robbie, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true.

“What’s the baby doing now?” Robbie asked without opening an eye.

“Sleeping.”

“I’ve already seen four hundred pictured of Emily sleeping.”

“But this time her mouth is open.”

Robbie held out his hand and took the phone. He squinted at the picture. Jemma did send a lot. Emily was going to live a very well documented life. A soft smile lit up Robbie’s face. “Okay, that’s really cute.”

Daisy took the phone back, silenced it, and tucked it into her bag. It was time to relax.

Under the umbrella, the salty sea breeze kept it from being too hot, and Daisy lay down beside Robbie. Her fingertips brushed his where they rested on the white sand.

“This is nice,” she said. Robbie grunted. “But I miss home, too. I’m even more surprised that I’d call New York home. Or that working in a coffee shop is kind of what I want to do for a long time now.”

“You’re also fighting evil,” Robbie said.

 “Yeah, that too.” She turned her head to watch him. He was close enough that she could smell the sunblock on his skin. “Is it alright, do you think, to just want to be me? As I am? It was a big thing when I was growing up to want always to be the best. To want to be the star. Because then maybe a family would want me.”

“You’re my star,” Robbie said, opening his eyes and rolling towards her. He cupped her cheek. “You’re my north star.” His thumb stroked her face. “I love you. And I’m actually okay with who I am now. You taught me that. And hey, being Quake is pretty special.”

“That was just chance.” Her heart was thudding. She wanted to drag him back to the hotel room and spend the afternoon showing him how much he meant to her. “Wait,” she said when he started to speak. “I shouldn’t…that’s wrong. I was the right person in the right place and the right time. Anyone else would have died. I got revenge.” She grinned, but it turned to a frown as a shadow passed over the sun.

They both sat up. Clouds were gathering.

“I think it’s going to rain. Oh darn. No surfing,” Robbie said.

“And no other people,” she said, as the only other couple on the beach ran for cover.

“And lots of rain to hide what we’re doing.”

Sex in the water sounded so much better than sex on the beach. Daisy darted towards the waves, parting them with her power and sending the water to splash on Robbie. It sizzled against his skin as his eyes burned.

“You’re so in for it now, chica.”

“You’ve got to catch me first.” The water surged in around her, but as she turned to lunge away from Robbie, a chain wrapped around her waist and pulled her back to him.

“Caught you,” he said against her mouth.

The waves danced around them, and the air was heavy with the scent of rain. “I love you,” Daisy whispered, her lips meeting his.

Her love burned brighter than any light.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I <3 comments. You can find me on tumblr [ @sunalsolove ](https://sunalsolove.tumblr.com) and pillowfort [ sunalso ](https://www.pillowfort.io/sunalso)
> 
> This fic posts every Saturday!
> 
> (Seriously, I <3 the comments)


End file.
